Ping Gai

Ping Gai is a popular Laotian dish of whole chicken marinated in black pepper, garlic, coriander root, fish sauce and salt that is cooked over hot coals. You may try it with sticky rice and sometimes with raw vegetables in Luang Prabang.

The dish originated from the Lao people of Laos and Isan (northeastern Thailand), but it is now commonly eaten throughout the whole of Thailand. The dish is a standard staple of street markets and readily available at all times. Being a typical Laotian/Isan dish, it is often paired with green papaya salad and sticky rice. It is also eaten with raw vegetables, and often dipped in spicy sauces such as Laotian jaew bong.

In Thailand there are also many famous Thai Muslim varieties of kai yang, which are not of Lao origin at all, but more akin to the grilled chicken from Malaysia.

How to Make Ping Gai

Ingredients

4 lb Chicken Thighs; boneless; skin on

Marinade
bunch fresh cilantro
6 cloves garlic
1 tbsp black peppercorns
3 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Dipping Sauce
1 cup water
1/2 cups sugar
3 sprigs fresh cilantro
2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp white vinegar
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp Thai garlic chili pepper sauce
1 tbsp Thai fish sauce

Directions

Marinade: Put the washed bunch of cilantro, including stems and roots, into food processor with garlic and peppercorns. Process until finely chopped. Add oyster sauce, soy sauce and oil; process until combined.

Place chicken in shallow glass baking dish. Brush all over with marinade. Cover with plastic wrap. Marinate at least 1 hour or overnight in refrigerator.

Dipping sauce: Combine water and sugar in saucepan. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring until dissolved. Continue cooking 10 minutes or until reduced and syrupy. Cool completely. Add to food processor with cilantro, garlic, vinegar, lime juice, garlic chili pepper sauce and fish sauce. Process until smooth.

Preheat BBQ to medium high. (If broiling, preheat broiler and cook on wire rack set in baking pan or on cookie sheet.)

Place chicken pieces, skin side down, on greased grill. (Place skin side up if broiling.) Close BBQ lid. Cook about 8 minutes or until skin is crispy and chicken is almost cooked through.

Turn chicken. Close lid; cook chicken 6 minutes more or until cooked through. Chop into 1-inch pieces. Serve with dipping sauce.