Mongolian Chicken Kebab

This recipe is a bit of a mixture. The kebob is Mongolian, the red food dye is Chinese, and the yogurt sauce is Indian. The dye adds no flavor but jazzes up the presentation while the sauce just seems to go well with kebobs.

2 skinless, boneless half chicken breasts.

Canola oil for brushing

Salt and pepper to taste

Prepare the Marinade and Yogurt Sauce (recipes follow). Cut the chicken into 1 to 1 1/2 inch cubes and add them to the marinade. Zip the bag almost closed, expel as much air as possible, and zip fully closed. Kneed the bag to thoroughly coat the chicken with marinade. Marinate refrigerated for 6 to 12 hours. Prepare the grill for direct hot cooking. Skewer the chicken (rubber gloves are recommended) and grill directly over the fire turning every 2 minutes to cook all sides (8 minutes total).

Marinade

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger

1 teaspoon 5-spice powder

1/2 cup soy sauce

2 teaspoons honey

1/4 -1/2teaspoons cayenne

2 teaspoons red food dye (optional)

2 teaspoons sesame oil

Combine all ingredients in a zip-top plastic bag and kneed to thoroughly mix.

Yogurt Sauce

3/4 cup plain yogurt

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

This is the same sauce as provided on the BLOG on September 8. Combine all ingredients, blend thoroughly, and refrigerate for at least one hour.