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Gai Yang (Thai-Style Grilled Cornish Hens)

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Gai Yang (Thai-Style Grilled Cornish Hens)

Cuisine:Thai

Course:Dinner

20m prep 26m cook 46m ready

4 servings A superlative treatment for poultry that results in deeply browned birds with flavorful meat and skin. This procedure may be used with a whole chicken, but follow the cooking times in Grilled Chicken.

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Ingredients

Servings:
½× 1× 1½× 2× 3×
Units:
As Written US Metric
  • 1
    • 1 medium shallot, coarsely chopped
    • ½ cup chopped cilantro leaves and stems
    • ¼ cup packed grated palm sugar or light brown sugar
    • ¼ cup lime juice
    • ¼ cup fish sauce
    • 6 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
    • 3 lemongrass stalks, tender bottom portion only, thinly sliced
    • (4 makrut lime leaves, thinly sliced)
    • 2 fresh or dried Thai chiles, stemmed, or 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
    • ½ teaspoon white pepper
    Sub-recipe steps
    1. Combine in a food processor: 1 medium shallot, coarsely chopped; ½ cup chopped cilantro leaves and stems; ¼ cup packed grated palm sugar or light brown sugar; ¼ cup lime juice; ¼ cup fish sauce; 6 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped; 3 lemongrass stalks, tender bottom portion only, thinly sliced; (4 makrut lime leaves, thinly sliced); 2 fresh or dried Thai chiles, stemmed, or 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes; ½ teaspoon white pepper
    2. Pulse until finely ground.
  • Two 1 ½- to 1 ¾-pound Cornish hens
  • 1
    • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
    • 2 tablespoons lime juice
    • (1 tablespoon dried shrimp, toasted, and very finely minced)
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 2 teaspoons packed brown sugar
    • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes or 1 to 2 fresh red Thai chiles, seeded and minced
    • 2 ½ cups shredded peeled green papaya
    • 2 ounces green beans, cut into bite-sized pieces (about 1 cup)
    • 2 Roma or plum tomatoes, seeded and cut into strips, or 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
    • ¼ cup finely chopped roasted salted peanuts
    • Lime wedges
    Sub-recipe steps
    1. Mix together in a large bowl: 2 tablespoons fish sauce; 2 tablespoons lime juice; (1 tablespoon dried shrimp, toasted, and very finely minced); 2 garlic cloves, minced; 2 teaspoons packed brown sugar; 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes or 1 to 2 fresh red Thai chiles, seeded and minced
    2. Add: 2 ½ cups shredded peeled green papaya; 2 ounces green beans, cut into bite-sized pieces (about 1 cup); 2 Roma or plum tomatoes, seeded and cut into strips, or 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
    3. Toss with the papaya mixture. Sprinkle with: ¼ cup finely chopped roasted salted peanuts
    4. Serve with: Lime wedges
  • Cooked sticky rice

Let's Prepare

Collect

Gather these ingredients - no prep needed yet.

  • 1 Thai-Style Lemongrass Marinade
  • Two 1 ½- to 1 ¾-pound Cornish hens
  • 1 Green Papaya Salad
  • Cooked sticky rice

Let's Cook

  1. Step 1.

    Prepare: Thai-Style Lemongrass Marinade

  2. Step 2.

    Spatchcock: Two 1 ½- to 1 ¾-pound Cornish hens

  3. Step 3.

    Toss the hens with the marinade in a large bowl, cover, and marinate, refrigerated, for at least 4 hours or (preferably) overnight.

  4. Step 4.

    Prepare a hot, two-zone grill fire, or preheat a gas grill on high for 10 minutes. Remove the hens from the marinade and pat dry (reserve the marinade). To make the birds easier to manipulate on the grill, insert skewers through the thighs and into the lower breast of each bird.

  5. Step 5.

    If using a gas grill, reduce the heat of one of the burners to low. Place the chicken skin side up on the cooler side of the grill, cover, and grill for 20 minutes. Baste with some of the marinade, then move the hens to the hotter side of the grill and cook until browned on that side, about 5 minutes. Flip the hens skin side down, and cook until the skin is lightly browned, about 1 minute. The hens are done when a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the breast registers 160°F. If it needs more cooking, do so on the cooler side of the grill, covered. Transfer to a platter and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve with: Green Papaya Salad; Cooked sticky rice

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