The Barbecue! Bible

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Singapore

These spicy wings reflect Singapore's incredible ethnic diversity. Five-spice powder is a Chinese flavoring, while the ketjap manis (sweet soy sauce) comes from Indonesia. The frying of the spice paste is characteristic of Malaysian and Nonya ("grandmother") cooking, but the place where I actually sampled the wings was the Arab Market. Frying the spice paste creates a complex flavor that will make these some of the best wings you've ever tasted.

The vendor who shared this recipe with me used parboiled wings, which he slathered with spice paste and finished on the grill. Given the hundreds of wings sold each morning, parboiling was a way for him to shorten the cooking time to a manageable duration. Since you and I are in less of a rush than the average market cook, I suggest you take the time to marinate the raw wings in the spice paste and cook them from start to finish on the grill.

Note that although this recipe may look a little complicated, the actual preparation time is about 20 minutes.

16 whole chicken wings (about 3 1/2 pounds)

3 large shallots, peeled

6 cloves garlic, peeled

1 piece (1 inch) fresh ginger

2 to 10 Thai, serrano, or small jalapeno chiles, seeded (for hotter wings, leave the seeds in)

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons sweet soy sauce (ketjap manis) or 1 tablespoon each regular soy sauce and

molasses

1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder

1. Rinse the wings under cold running water, then drain and blot dry with paper towels. Make 2 or 3 deep slashes, to the bone, in the meaty part of each wing. Place in a large bowl and refrigerate while you prepare the spice paste.

2. Combine the shallots, garlic, ginger, and chiles in a food processor and process to a smooth paste. Add 1/4 cup of the oil, the soy sauces, and five-spice powder and process until smooth.

3. Heat the remaining 1/4 cup oil in a wok or small, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the spice paste and cook, stirring constantly, until thick, brown, and very flavorful, 8 to 12 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool completely.

4.Add the cooled spice paste to the chicken and turn the wings to coat thoroughly. Cover and let marinate, in the refrigerator, for at least six hours or as long as 24 (the longer the better).

5. Preheat the grill to medium-high.

6. When ready to cook, oil the grill grate. Arrange the wings on the hot grate and grill, turning with tongs, until the thicker wing sections are o longer pink near the bone, 12 to 16 minutes in all.

7. Transfer the wings to a serving plate and serve.

Makes 16 whole wings; serves 4 to 8 as an appetizer.

HONEY SESAME SHRIMP "ON THE BARBIE"

Australia

Shrimp "on the barbie" (grill) is Australia's most famous culinary export. Even if you know nothing else about Down Under cooking, you're surely aware of how much Australians love grilling--especially seafood. If the truth be told, shrimp is something of a misnomer, as most Australians would say "prawns."

The Chinese roots of this dish are obvious--a legacy of the huge influx of Asian immigrants to Australia in the 1970s and 80s. I love the way the sweetness of the honey and five-spice powder play off the nuttiness of the sesame seeds and oil and the brininess of the shrimp and soy sauce.

1 1/2 pounds jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined

5 tablespoons Asian (dark) sesame oil

3 tablespoons rice wine, sake, or dry sherry

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons honey

1 1/2 tablespoons sesame seeds

1 tablespoon Thai sweet chile sauce (optional)

1/2 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder

2 cloves garlic, crushed with the side of a cleaver

2 slices (1/4 inch thick) fresh ginger

2 scallions, trimmed, white part flattened with the side of a cleaver,

green part finely chopped and set aside for garnish

1. Rinse the shrimp under cold running water, then drain and blot dry with paper towels. Set aside while you prepare the marinade.

2.Combine three tablespoons of the sesame oil, the rice wine, soy sauce, honey, sesame seeds, chile sauce (if using), and five-spice powder in a large bowl and whisk to blend. Stir in the garlic, ginger, scallions, and shrimp to coat, then cover and let marinate in the refrigerator, for 30 to 60 minutes.

3. Preheat the grill to high.

4. Using a slotted spoon, remove the shrimp from the marinade to a bowl and toss with the remaining 2 tablespoons sesame oil. Pour the marinade into a saucepan; remove and discard the garlic, ginger, and scallion whites, using the slotted spoon. Bring the marinade to a boil over medium-high heat and cook, uncovered, to a thick, syrupy glaze, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

5. When ready to cook, oil the grate. Arrange the shrimp on the hot grate and grill, turning with tongs, until nicely browned on the outside and firm and pink inside, about 2 minutes per side. Brush the shrimp with the glaze as they cook.

6. Transfer the shrimp to serving plates and or a platter and sprinkle with the scallion

greens. Serve immediately. Serves 4

ARGENTINIAN GRILLED EGGPLANT

Argentina

Argentinians don't generally dilute their staunchly carnivornian meals with superfluous side dishes or vegetables. However, grilled eggplant has become part of the steak house repertoire. The eggplant of choice is a small (4 inches long) Italian variety--the sort you'd find in an Italian market or gourmet shop. Larger eggplants can be cooked this way, too. (If using large eggplant, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices and grill 3 to 5 minutes per side.)

3 small (4 to 6 ounces each) Italian eggplants

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon sweet or hot paprika

1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes (optional)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Preheat the grill to high.

2. Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise; do not trim off the stem ends. Mix the garlic and oil in a small bowl. Brush the mixture over the cut sides of the eggplants. Combine the herbs and spices in a small bowl and set aside.

3. When ready to cook, arrange the eggplants, cut sides down, on the hot grate and grill until nicely browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Lightly brush the skin sides of the eggplants with the oil mixture. Turn the eggplants with tongs and brush the tops with the remaining oil. Sprinkle with the dried herb mixture and salt and black pepper to taste. Continue cooking the eggplants, cut sides up, until the flesh is soft, 6 to 8 minutes more. Serve immediately.

Serves 6

Excerpted from The Barbecue! Bible. Copyright c 1998 by Steven Raichlen Reprinted with permission by Workman Publishing.