1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
1 whole chicken, 3½ to 4 pounds, butterflied according to
the directions here, if desired
1 recipe Thai-Style Sweet Chile Sauce (recipe follows;
optional)
Trim off the bottom ½ inch of the lemongrass stalk and
discard. Locate the place where the outer leaves begin to
turn dry, about 4 inches up from the base, and cut them
off. Discard any remaining dry outer leaves. Roughly
chop the tender lemongrass core and add to the bowl of a
food processor. Add the ginger, garlic, shallot, chile,
turmeric, salt, sugar, and oil and process, scraping down
the sides as necessary, until a paste is formed.
- Separate the chicken skin from the breasts (see here).
Spread the chile mixture evenly all over the chicken and
under the skin. Roast according to either recipe (here or
594), skipping step 2. Serve with the chile sauce if
desired.
Thai-Style Sweet Chile Sauce
NOTE: If you can’t find fresh chiles, 2 teaspoons red
pepper flakes can be used in their place.
MAKES ABOUT ½ CUP
2 medium cloves garlic, minced or grated on a microplane
(about 2 teaspoons)