I believe skewers to be the ultimate summer time appetizer. I basically grew up eating lamb kebabs at every outdoor BBQ or gathering up until I was 18. Once I moved out I usually always get a craving for meat on a stick at least once every two months. I usually try to make different marinades as much as I can because you really can rarely go wrong with meat on a stick.
Lemongrass itself is used most often in Vietnamese cooking, which means it’s usually the least expensive in Chinatown where the turnover is better. However, lemongrass can also be found in the majority of grocery stores already in paste form in a squeeze tube or in stalks in the organic section. For this recipe, I used the stalks just because I wanted it to be as fresh as possible, but you can’t find any, the squeeze tube version works perfectly fine! If you end up getting the stalks, I found the best way to mash it up to release the most flavour is to mince it up as much as possible, then mash it using a mortar and pestle.
Switching up the protein in the recipe is 100% doable, hell I’d even recommend it. I’ve made it with chicken and shrimp so far and I honestly can’t tell which one I like more. I can imagine this marinade would be great with beef, pork, or even extra firm tofu. I baked mine in the oven because I can’t have a BBQ at my current apartment; however grilling them would most likely make it taste even better! Making the skewers themselves is super simple and make for a killer appetizer for you and or your friends!
Let’s get started on what you’ll need and how much it’ll cost you.
Lemongrass Ginger Chicken Skewers
Ingredients & Costs
1 Chicken Breast ($2.33)
1 Lemongrass stalk (or 3 Tbs of Lemongrass Paste) ($0.89)
1 Tbs Ginger (minced or paste) ($0.01)
1 Garlic clove ($0.02)
1 ½ Tbs Honey ($0.21)
1 Tsp Dark Soy Sauce ($0.01)
1 Tsp Sesame Oil ($0.07)
1 Tsp Canola Oil ($0.02)
1 ½ Tsp Lime Juice (or half a lime) ($0.05)
½ Tsp Turmeric ($0.001)
½ Salt ($0.01)
1 Thai Chili Pepper (optional)
Serves 2, takes 30 Minutes
Total Cost = $3.62* for 4 skewers!
Compared to the $10-15 at restaurants with Satay!
*Depending the cost of the ingredients in your area, the cost may be more or less. I live in a fairly inflated part of town, so chances are your cost will be less.
For step-by-step directions on making this stir fry, head on over to my blog.
Check back here every week for more recipes!