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| “I organise a tour as if I’m researching a book,” says Robert Carmack, who together with his partner, textile designer Morrison Polkinghorne, runs Globetrotting Gourmet. The small group tours organised by the Sydney-based pair focus on the colourful cuisines of south-east Asia. |
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I recently had the privilege of joining them on a tour of Thailand, taking in the Isan Food Festival in Khon Kaen (north-east Thailand) as well as Bangkok and the coastal resort of Hua Hin. The pair began organising their tours after Carmack brought out his first cookbook and readers wanted to know more about the ingredients used in south-east Asian cooking. They now do several tours a year, to destinations such as Thailand, Burma, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. Each tour includes a wonderful selection of market tours, cooking classes and superb meals in places that would be difficult to discover if travelling independently.
Carmack sees himself as a facilitator rather than an expert, but he makes a special effort to understand the intricacies of regional cuisines. He brings a wealth of knowledge to the tours, gleaned from years of travelling and researching his numerous cookbooks. In the last 18 months alone, he travelled to Isan four times to do the ground work for their most recent trip, and in the process, came to fully appreciate just how exciting its cuisine is. Indeed, he sees this cuisine, born out of necessity and ingenuity (Isan was traditionally one of the country’s poorest regions), as Thailand’s most dynamic cuisine. Many Thai people clearly think so too, as Isan food features regularly on the menus of Bangkok restaurants and street stalls.
Grilled chicken (gai yang) is one such dish that is widely embraced, and while it would be hard to beat the beautifully marinated chicken that we enjoyed in a roadside eatery near Khon Kaen, you can try it at home using the following recipe from Carmack’s book, “Thai Home Cooking”.
For more information about Globetrotting Gourmet tours, look up www.globetrottinggourmet.com
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Chicken with Lemongrass (Gai yang)
Serves 4 to 6
For marinade:
10 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
3 stalks lemongrass, white part only, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 green onions, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons dry white wine
Half cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon Asian (toasted) sesame oil
Half teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 chicken legs
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To make marinade:
In a mortar, combine garlic and lemongrass and pound to a coarse paste with a pestle. Or thinly slice, then chop together to a coarse paste with a cleaver or chef’s knife. Stir in all remaining marinade ingredients.
Arrange chicken legs in one layer in a shallow dish. Pour over the marinade, and gently shake chicken to coat. Let stand at room temperature for two hours, or cover and refrigerate overnight, turning pieces several times. If refrigerated, let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking. Light a fire in a charcoal grill. Wipe marinade from chicken and grill, turning occasionally, until golden on all sides and juices run clear when chicken is pierced, 20-30 minutes. Alternatively, cook chicken pieces under a grill.
Note: Traditionally, this dish is made with whole spitchcock chickens that have been butterflied, by splitting down the backbone and flattening. Grill, skin-side down, for 10 to 15 minutes, then turn and grill skin-side up, for 10 minutes. After cooking, cut chicken with a cleaver, through the bones, into smaller pieces. You may also use chicken halves.
From: “Thai Home Cooking” by Robert Carmack, published by Lansdowne.
www.foodwinetravel.com.au |
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