Ginger Lemongrass Chicken Skewers with Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce

Reprinted with permission from Bi-Rite Market’s Eat Good Food by Sam Mogannam & Dabney Gough, copyright © 2011. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House, Inc.” Photo credit: France Ruffenach © 2011

• Servings: Makes about 30 small skewers.

From Bi-Rite Market's Eat Good Food: A Grocer's Guide to Shopping, Cooking, & Creating Community Through Food.  By Sam Mogannam and Dabney Gough.

Ingredients

• 1 stalk fresh lemongrass
• 1 1/2-inch knob fresh ginger, peeled
• 2 large cloves garlic
• 2 scallions, very thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon grapeseed or other neutral oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice, more as needed
• 4 teaspoons Asian fish sauce, more as needed
• 3/4 teaspoon honey
• 11/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
• 1/2 cup smooth natural peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon Asian chile garlic sauce

Directions

1. Cut the pale yellow bottom portion off the lemongrass stalk and discard the green top. Trim about 3/4 inch from the root end, then peel off and discard the tough outer layers. You should end up with a stick of only the more tender inner layers, about 1/2 inch thick and 3 inches long. Finely mince the lemongrass, along with the ginger and garlic; the pieces should be no bigger than 1/16 inch. (You can do most of this in a food processor and finish with a little hand chopping.) Put the mixture in a medium bowl and stir in the scallions, the oil, 1 tablespoon of the lime juice, 2 teaspoons of the fish sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon of the honey.
2. Slice the chicken into 1/3-inch-thick strips about 1 inch wide—slice across the grain and at an angle on breasts, and with the grain on thighs. You should have about 30 strips. Add to the bowl with the lemongrass mixture, stir to coat the chicken evenly, and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
3. To make the dipping sauce, put the peanut butter in a small bowl. Stir in enough warm water to make a thick sauce (about 1/4 cup, depending on the peanut butter), then add the vinegar, chile garlic sauce, and the remaining 2 teaspoons fish sauce, 1 1/2 teaspoons lime juice, and 1/4 teaspoon honey. Taste and adjust the saltiness, heat, or acidity to your liking; thin with more water if necessary.
4. Prepare a medium-hot gas or charcoal grill or heat a large grill pan. Meanwhile, thread the chicken onto the skewers. Grill the chicken, flipping once, until just cooked through, 1 to 3 minutes per side. Alternatively, you can cook the skewers under a broiler—about 8 minutes total.
5. Serve with the dipping sauce.