Description
Indulge in the smoky, spicy flavours of Piyanggang Manok – a traditional Filipino dish of chicken marinated in coconut vinegar and turmeric. Simply divine!
Ingredients
Chicken
- 6 bone-in chicken thighs
- 2 coconut shells, halved
Spice Paste
- 1/4 cup burnt powdered coconut meat
- 2 stalks spring onions, roughly chopped
- 2 stalks lemongrass , lower white part only, trimmed and sliced crosswise
- 1 inch knob of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 inch piece fresh turmeric, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1/2 small red onion, peeled and quartered
- 6 large cloves garlic, peeled
- 3 birds eye chillies
- 1/4 cup oil
- salt
Coconut Milk Basting Sauce
- 1 tsp burnt powdered coconut meat
- 1 1/2 cups coconut milk
- 2 tbsp oil
- salt
Instructions
- In a charcoal grill place the coconut meat down then let it grill until the inside is burnt and completely black in colour. Remove from heat, set it aside then let it cool.
- Scrape the burnt coconut meat off the shells and reserve in a bowl.
- Using a mortar and pestle, pound the burnt coconut meat until pulverised.
- Prepare the spice paste, in a food processor combine all Spice Paste ingredients, process until it becomes a smooth paste. If you want to do it the traditional way, use a large mortar and pestle and continue to pound all Spice Paste until it becomes a smooth paste.
- Combine the chicken pieces and spice paste in a large heavy duty zip lock bag, making sure the meat is fully coated. Marinate overnight for full flavour.
- Remove the chicken pieces from the Ziplock bag and place on a large plate. Reserve the spice paste, set it aside.
- Prepare your hooded charcoal grill for indirect grilling, you can do this by placing the hot charcoals in one side and leaving the other half empty. Place the chicken on the empty side. Cook the chicken with the lid down then cook for 45 minutes, this will bake and smoke the chicken at the same time.
- Prepare the basting sauce. Stir-fry the spice paste that was set aside earlier until fragrant.
- Pour the coconut milk and bring to a low boil while continuously stirring. Lower the heat, then add the burnt powdered coconut meat. Season with salt, to taste. Set aside.
- Back to the chicken, after 45 minutes move the chicken pieces directly over the coals and baste with the sauce. Flip every ten minutes and repeat the process. Cook for 25 to 30 more minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
- Remove the chicken from the heat and serve warm.
I want some too! It looks so darn good. Not sure if I can do the burnt coconut meat because I have no grill…would toasted coconut with a few drops of smoke work?
You are right — everything is readily available. The hard part will be cutting the coconut shells in half to grill them. Only once was I able to do that — I need a machete!
Wow, ground burnt coconut sounds so intriguing! I’m sure it adds such a smoky depth of flavour that you can’t replicate without.
★★★★★
How interesting and delicious! I like meats and fish very well charred, almost burned, so I’m so intrigued by the way the coconut gets treated here.
★★★★★
That certainly looks like to die for, absolutely gorgeous. I can imagine it bursting with flavours .
As you say, this definitely looks like a dish with smoky bold flavours! Lovely!
★★★★★