It seems like only yesterday that my little family rang in the new year. None of us made it to see the ball drop because, as new parents, any spare second is reserved for sleep. Now it is July and in a few short weeks, my son turns one. Where did all the months go!? A fun fact, my son was born on my birthday and in many places, it is considered lucky for a father and son to share a birthday. In that aspect we are very lucky. It was the best birthday present I could have ever asked for! My girlfriend went through a twenty one hour labor to deliver my present. My life changed that day and has been an ever changing adventure since. Last New Year’s, my son was barely crawling; today, we he is a little typhoon. He embodies the Loony Toons Taz persona. I swear this kid has the Taz tornado surrounding him, everywhere he goes, he just leaves a trail of destruction! In fact, maybe that will be his nickname. It never fails to amaze me the amount of mess one tiny person can make.
Speaking of July (to get back on the subject) there’s a holiday coming up: good ole Independence Day. The Fourth of July. Now, as I have mentioned before, I am not native to the United States and had never celebrated an Independence Day until the summer of 1996. Before then July 4th was just another day to cross off on a calendar. I still remember it so vividly and the great thing about the holiday is that no matter where you go, everyone’s 4th smells the same. The later the day gets, the thicker the lingering smoke gets. It surrounds you with the smell of gunpowder and charcoal. Where I lived, you would heard fireworks start about July 1st and crescendo until the 4th when it would hit its peak. Pops and bangs and the occasional M80 could be heard all day and into the night. By 10pm, there would be so much smoke; it would be as if a fog had rolled in. We would set off bottle rockets and go through box after box of whipper snappers. Nineteen years later, I will be celebrating my son’s first Independence Day. Like most families, July 4th is a constant dance of cooking, conversing and lighting things on fire (probably the best part). I wanted to make a food that fits the bills. I needed something that is easy to carry around so I can eat and celebrate. So what am I thinking of? Honey Lemon Ginger Glazed Chicken Skewers! It is absolutely delicious. Trust me, the prep is definitely worth it. I hope you like the recipe and I hope you all have a safe and happy Independence Day.
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Chicken Skewers:
Cubed Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs (Preferably Free-Range)
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Ground Ginger Powder
Fresh Ground Black Pepper
Ground White Pepper
Toasted Sesame Oil
Black Strap Molasses
Salt
Glaze:
Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice (Ran through a sieve
Honey
Blonde Palm Sugar
Freshly Sliced Ginger (Half-Dollar size)
Lemon Peels (Whites removed)
Water
Topping:
Diced Green Onion
Toasted Sesame Seeds
Crushes Cashews
Red Pepper Flakes
Lemon Zest
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2lbs
1/2 tsp
1/2 tsp
1/4 tsp
1/4 tsp
1/4 tsp
1/2 tsp
1/2 tsp
1 tsp
1/4 Cup
1/4 Cup
3-4 Blocks
4-5 Slices
Half a Lemon
1/4 Cup
2 Stalks
1/2 tsp
1 tbsp
1/2 tsp
1/2 tsp[/ezcol_1quarter_end]
- Before you start, you should soak your bamboo skewers in water for a few hours.
- Start by cubing and removing any excess fat from the chicken thighs. I always recommend chicken thighs instead of breasts because it is more tender. With breasts, if over cooked, you might end up with erasers on a stick.
- Now, mix the garlic powder, onion powder, ginger powder, black and white pepper, sesame oil, black strap molasses and salt with the cubed chicken thighs.
- Take a little time and mix the spices in with the chicken thoroughly and gently massage the flavor into the meat and divide them among skewers.
- Cover the raw chicken and let it marinade as you get your charcoal grill started (I have said this before and I will continue saying it. Nothing beats grilling with real hardwood lump charcoal. A flavor you can’t get with a gas grill) and prepare the glaze.
- For the glaze, mix the lemon juice, lemon peels, honey, ginger, palm sugar and water in a sauce pan. Heat the solution in medium-low heat until the palm sugar is well dissolved. For the lemon peels, try to remove as much of the whites as possible, or else the glaze will become bitter.
- Before reducing the solution down to a thicker glaze. Set aside 1/4 cup of it and add in a half a teaspoon of sesame oil. This is what we will use to brush onto the chicken skewers while they grill. The rest will remain on the stove to be reduced into a thick glaze.
- Now that your charcoal is nice and hot, place the skewers onto the grill (Do not cover the grill) and rotate them regularly. As you rotate the skewers, don’t forget to brush on the honey lemon ginger glaze that we set aside earlier.
- Keep cooking the kebabs until they are fully cooked and slightly charred.
- Let the skewers rest 5 minutes before plating.
- Now plate the skewers, drizzle on the glaze and top it off with green onions, sesame seeds, chili flakes, lemon zest and crush cashews. Tkae a bite, what do you think?
I hope you have enjoyed my recipe! Thanks!