Traditional Thai seasonings of black pepper, garlic, coriander root, and fish sauce are combined here with coconut milk, making the chicken especially succulent and flavorful.

Thai Grilled Chicken - Gai Yang

3 to 4 whole chicken breasts

2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns, ground in a spice grinder

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander roots (cilantro), finely minced*

1 tablespoon Asian fish sauce

1 cup well-stirred canned unsweetened coconut milk

Hot and Sweet Dipping Sauce (recipe follows)

Hot cooked rice (Preferably Jasmine rice)

1. With a cleaver or poultry shears halve chicken breasts and cut each half crosswise into 4 pieces.
2. With a mortar and pestle, or flat side with the sharp edge of the cleaver, blend peppercorns and garlic with a pinch salt to a smooth paste. Add coriander roots and pound or blend to a paste.
3. In a large non-metallic bowl stir together coriander paste, fish sauce, and coconut milk. Add chicken and turn to coat well with marinade. Marinate chicken, covered, at room temperature 1 hour, or for several hours in refrigerator.
4. Prepare grill (or preheat broiler).
5. Grill chicken, skin sides down, on a lightly oiled rack set 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals until browned, 7 to 10 minutes. Brush top of chicken lightly with marinade, discarding any remaining marinade, and turn chicken. Grill chicken until just cooked through and juices run clear, 7 to 10 minutes more. (Alternatively, chicken may be broiled in same manner on lightly oiled rack of a large broiler pan about 4 to 6 inches from heat.)
6. Serve chicken with dipping sauce and cooked rice.

Serves 6.

*If the roots are unavailable, use 1/4 cup finely chopped coriander/cilantro leaves.

Hot and Sweet Dipping Sauce - Nam Jeem Guy Yang

1/2 cup cider vinegar or distilled white vinegar

1/2 cup sugar

4 large garlic cloves, mashed to paste with pinch of salt

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons dried hot red pepper flakes

1. In a small saucepan bring vinegar to a boil. Stir in sugar and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir garlic paste and red pepper flakes into vinegar. Cool.
2. Serve sauce at room temperature in individual condiment bowls for dipping.

Makes about 1/2 cup.