THAI BBQ CHICKEN BUNDLES
The Low-Carb Gourmet: 250 Delicious and Satisfying Recipes by Karen Barnaby
Makes 4 servings
Here's one of my favorite recipes, reworked for fine low-carb dining -- the original had noodles, rice papers, and sugar. If you like pork rinds, they are great to eat with the dipping sauce or to put in the lettuce bundles.
Warning! Don't make your bundles too big or they will fall all over the place when you bite into them.
I just love the way the dinner table comes alive when a group is sharing from a communal dish. If you have eaten mu shu pork or chicken or dined in Vietnamese restaurants, you will be familiar with the eating technique.
You can make this dish with boneless chicken thighs in place of the breasts. This is wonderful cooked on the grill, too.
• 1 small bunch fresh cilantro
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed
• 3 Tbsp. (45 ml) fish sauce
• 1 tsp. (5 ml) coarsely ground black pepper
• 6 8-oz. (227-g) boneless chicken breast halves with skin
• 1 large head leaf lettuce or butter lettuce, washed and dried
• 1/2 English cucumber, halved lengthwise and cut into thin half moons
• 1 small bunch fresh mint
• Thai Sweet-and-Sour Chile Dipping Sauce* Recipe below
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) unsalted roasted peanuts, chopped
--Coarsely chop half of the cilantro and place in a blender or food processor. Add the garlic, fish sauce, and pepper. Process to a paste.
--Place the chicken in a large bowl. Add the paste and toss well to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
--Preheat the broiler. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
--Place the chicken on the sheet, skin side down. Broil about 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 cm) from the heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Turn the pieces over and broil until the skin is crisp and the chicken is cooked all the way through (the juices should run clear when the thickest area is pricked with a fork).
--Arrange the lettuce, cucumber, and mint on a large platter. Remove the stems from the remaining cilantro and add to the platter. Cut the chicken into 3/4-inch (1.9-cm) slices and place on the platter.
--Divide the dipping sauce among individual dipping bowls and sprinkle with the peanuts.
--To eat, take a lettuce leaf and tear it in half. Place a few cucumber slices, a few mint and cilantro leaves, and a slice or two of chicken on the leaf. Roll up into a snug bundle, dip into the sauce, and eat.
Per serving (without sauce). Effective carbohydrates: 4.6 g; Carbohydrates: 7.2 g; Fiber: 2.6 g; Protein: 40.4 g; Fat: 20.2 g; Calories: 372
THAI SWEET-AND-SOUR CHILE DIPPING SAUCE
Makes 1 1/2 cups (360 ml)
The fans of this sauce are legion. It turns any plain meat into a Thai New Year celebration and is the very special guest of the Thai BBQ Chicken Bundles. It's traditionally served with chopped roasted peanuts on top.
Note: Look for xanthan gum in natural food or bulk stores.
• 1 Tbsp. (15 ml) each Splenda and Canadian Sugar Twin or 1/4 cup (60 ml) Splenda
• 1 cup (240 ml) water
• 1/2 red bell pepper, stem removed but seeds and core left in
• 1 to 3 fresh Chile peppers
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 tsp. (5 ml) sea salt
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice or lime juice
• 3 Tbsp. (45 ml) fish sauce
• 1 tsp. (5 ml) xanthan gum
--In a cup, mix the sweetener and water.
--Roughly chop the bell pepper and chiles. Place in a food processor or blender and add the garlic, salt, and 1/4 cup (60 ml) of the sweetened water. Blend until smooth. (The pepper seeds will remain whole.)
--Add the lemon or lime juice, fish sauce, and the remaining 3/4 cup (180 ml) water. Pulse a few times to combine. Sprinkle the xanthan gum evenly over the surface of the liquid and blend until thickened. Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
Per 2 Tbsp. (30 ml). Effective carbohydrates: 1.6 g; Carbohydrates: 1.8 g; Fiber: 0.2 g; Protein: 0.5 g; Fat: 0 g; Calories: 8
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