Southern Thai Turmeric Chicken (Gai

Yang Khamin)
This is a great one to marinade tonight and bake tomorrow, to bring
authentic Thai flavours to your dinner table! It’s sweet but has layers of
savoury, and is incredibly delicious for something so simple.

With the excellent street food in Thailand, it will come to no surprise

that I found this during my travels. It’s a street food that hails from the
south called Gai Yang Khamin, and is one of those recipes that tastes
like it has way more ingredients in it than it does.

At the time I tried it, I didn’t know what it was called, though the mystery
was solved through furious Googling for “yellow Thai grilled chicken” in
my determination to replicate it back at home.

Street vendors grill this over smokey coals and use butterflied whole
chicken. I bake it in the oven and use chicken thighs instead to make it
Monday-night-friendly. This does not, however, compromise flavour – it
is still ridiculously delicious!

For the juiciest, stickiest chicken with the best glaze, bone-in thighs are
best. But I’ve provided directions for breast and other cuts.

• Chicken – As noted above, skin-on, bone-in thighs are best

because the time it takes for the skin to go sticky and golden is
the same time it takes for the inside to cook through to juicy
perfection. Leaner, boneless cuts, like breast and boneless
thigh, cook through faster, before the surface has a chance to
caramelise. However, I’ve provided directions for these – and
you could always pan fry instead! Drumsticks are also an
excellent, economical option – these work perfectly as a direct
substitute.
• Turmeric powder – Key flavour and colour for this dish. This is
what makes this Thai Turmeric chicken!!
• Fish sauce – Secret ingredient! Adds salt with extra layers of
flavour so this otherwise simple marinade isn’t bland.
• Oyster sauce – Second secret ingredient! Adds sweetness
with savoury undertones.
• Sugar – For extra sweetness.
• Garlic – Quite a decent wack!
• Pepper – I like the flavour white pepper brings to this but you
can substitute with black pepper.
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