Gingered Chicken on the Braai or Barbecue

Summertime ... and the living is easy...

I love summer because it's a time you can get outdoors and enjoy fresh air....

Or it's supposed to be.

Even if we are having a bit of a wet spell, my hubby and I try to make the best of it; perhaps we are becoming a bit British - we stand in the rain to cook over the Weber if we are forced to by this inclement weather we are having this year. One moment it's sunshine and the next the wet stuff is coming out of the sky again, just when we have put the meat on the fire! Ah well, that's life...

Chicken isn't something that a lot of people think to put on the braai or barbecue, but we love it and I have a few tips for you as to how to do it. If you put the chicken over hot coals to cook, especially if you have used a marinade or sauce, it's likely to burn before it cooks. No one enjoys burnt but uncooked offerings! The thing to do is to partially cook it in the microwave first. This will ensure that the flesh is cooked thoroughly but not charred on the outside. I don't choose to use the oven for par cooking because this could dry the chicken out before it is transferred to the hot coals and then you don't get so much of the lovely smoky flavour from the charcoal. I recommend marinating chicken before barbecuing; it helps to 'cook' the meat before the application of heat and keeps the chicken moist while it completes its cooking.

Ingredients:
8 chicken thighs or breasts
60ml olive oil
1 bunch spring onions, chopped - including the green parts
Juice squeezed from 40ml grated fresh ginger
200ml light soy sauce
30ml brown sugar
20ml sesame oil
3 ml black pepper

Method:
Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat on the hob and sweat the spring onions for a few minutes. Add the juice from the grated ginger and discard the pulp. Add the soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil and pepper to the onions and pour over the chicken in a microwavable marinating container. Stand for at least 30 minutes, but leaving it to marinade for 2-3 hours is even better.

Meanwhile, prepare a direct fire - one in which the coals are spread evenly under the grid. When the fire is almost ready, transfer the chicken to the microwave, still in its marinade, and microwave on 70% for 8-9 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the marinade and transfer to the barbecue to grill directly over the hot coals. Turn frequently for 10-15 minutes, basting often with the liquids from the remaining marinade.

Serve with your choice of accompaniments.