The best grilled chicken in Laos, and never tired of eating it.
Grilled chicken, Ping kai, ປີ້ງໄກ່
Ping Kai
The tenderness from grilling the chicken, the smoky scent of coal, and savory from the marinated sauce all in one dish. Other than the scent from coal, the herbs ingredient also aggrandize the fragrance of the ping kai. One word for this food is flavorful. Grill chicken in Laos often doesn't compose of much meat and it is the meat that sticks to the bone. When I eat ping kai, I always use my hand to grab and eat all the meat that sticks to the bone. I would say it was fun and full of flavor. Dipping the chicken with the sauce is also makes it reach the highest flavorful. Usually, ping kai will eat with sticky rice, tam mak hoong, and dipping sauce.
Besides, it is a cultural and traditional food in Laos, it serves and sells on special occasions such as That Luang festival, boat racing day, Pii mai (Lao new year), food festival, and more. It also sells on usual days alongside the street and ping kai restaurant.
Where to buy: street side vendors, local market and restaurant.
Where to buy ingredient: I brought whole chicken at CP shop and other ingredient at local market and organic market. Fermented fish sauce is my homemade Padaek.
Ingredients
1 whole chicken
1 stalk of Lemongrass
2 Asian shallots
4 cloves of Garlic
15g Ginger
30g Fermented fish sauce
35g Soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon sugar
For dipping sauce
5 Chili
1 clove of Garlic
1/2 teaspoon Sugar
1 slice of Lime
4-5 tablespoon Fish sauce
Equipment
Mortar and pestle
Knife
Bowl
Grate
Charcoal stove
Tong
Directions
Grilled Chicken
1. Wash the chicken to ensure it is clean and put it in the medium bowl. Slice under its wing to extend and evenly cook when grilling.
2. Add garlic, Asian shallot, ginger, lemongrass, sugar, black pepper, and salt into a mortar. Pound it with a pestle until it completely breaks down. Add soy sauce and Padeak (fermented fish sauce) and mix it with other ingredients in the mortar.
3. Pour the marinade sauce on the chicken and rub it with your hands evenly through every part of the chicken. Note: if you cannot stand the smell that going to stick in your hand, wear food prep gloves.
4. Marinate the chicken and keep it in the refrigerator overnight. Note: you can use it right away after mixing it with marinade sauce.
5. Prepare the charcoal stove by lighting the coal. I place an extension on the grill and grate on top of it to make it slowly cook the chicken without burning it. The coal is high heat. Note: If you don’t have the extension, you can place a grate and keep your eyes on the chicken to prevent burning. Also, make the heat on medium heat.
6. Place the marinated chicken on the grate. About 20 minutes, turn it over once it becomes a slight brown color.
7. About 30 minutes, the chicken is golden brown turn it over again to make the other side is cooked.
8. Grill the chicken for another 30 minutes or until it is golden brown. Make sure to keep your eyes on grilling to prevent it from burning.
9. Once the chicken is fully cooked, transfer it to a plate to chop it.
10. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and use a chopping knife to cut the grilled chicken.
11. Chop off the wings, leg, and neck part. Chop the body into 3 sections, and each section is cut up to 5 pieces.
12. Transfer it to a plate. Serve with sticky rice, chili sauce and vegetable.
Dipping sauce
Add garlic, sugar, and chilies into the mortar. Pound it until it breaks down.
Add lime and fish sauce into the mortar. Give it a stir, and well-combined.
Transfer into a small bowl and garnish with coriander.
Serve with grilled chicken, vegetables, and sticky rice!
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