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Kai Yang (Grilled Chicken)

Name: Kai Yang (Grilled Chicken)
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 11 h
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: 1 whole chicken, butterflied (about 3.5 lbs); 2 stalks lemongrass, minced; 8 cloves garlic; 2 tbsp cilantro root, chopped; 1 tsp turmeric; 3 tbsp fish sauce; 2 tbsp oyster sauce; 2 tbsp sugar; 1 tsp black pepper; 1/2 cup coconut milk

Kai Yang (Grilled Chicken) reads umami 7.8, salinity 6.4 and funk & ferment 6.4 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Thai main, about 11 hr. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

Umami & Savory — 9.6 / 10
Sweet & Fruity — 5.4 / 10
Sour & Bright — 3.7 / 10
Bitter & Earthy — 1.7 / 10
Rich & Fat — 5.0 / 10
Aromatic & Spice — 4.6 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 7.8 · Salinity 6.4 · Funk & Ferment 6.4 · Marine & Briny 5.1 · Sweetness 4.9 · Richness 4.2 · Allium 4.0 · Herbaceous 3.3 · Citrus 3.3 · Nutty 2.8 · Warm Spice 1.9 · Floral 1.9 · Fruity 1.6 · Earthy 1.5 · Sourness 1.4 · Bitterness 1.2 · Heat 0.9

What's in it (10)

1 whole chicken, butterflied (about 3.5 lbs)
2 stalks lemongrass, minced
8 cloves garlic
2 tbsp cilantro root, chopped
1 tsp turmeric
3 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup coconut milk

Time & effort: about 11 hr (20 min active) · effort: medium

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 139.6 kcal, 14.8 g protein, 8 g fat, 2.5 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (4 steps)

Pound lemongrass, garlic, cilantro root, and turmeric into a paste.
Mix with fish sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, pepper, and coconut milk, then marinate chicken overnight.
Grill over charcoal on low-medium heat, turning frequently and basting until cooked through with charred skin.
Serve with sticky rice, som tum, and spicy dipping sauce.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

Amok Trey (Steamed Fish Custard in Banana Leaf) — Cambodian
Thai Green Shrimp Curry — Thai
Thai Coconut Curry Mussels — Thai
Khao Soi — Thai
Vietnamese Style Shu Mai — Vietnamese

Keep reading: what umami, salinity, funk & ferment mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.