Filipino barbeque skewers

Ingredients

• 1 kg chicken thighs, cut into cubes
• 12 bamboo skewers (about 20 cm long)

Marinade

• 250 g (1 cup) banana ketchup
• 250 ml (1 cup) pineapple juice
• 185 g (1 cup) brown sugar
• 2 - 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp peanut butter
• 1 head garlic, cloves peeled and minced
• 1 ½ tbsp ground black pepper

Sawsawan (dipping brine)

• 1 litre coconut vinegar
• 220 g (1 cup) caster sugar
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 5 garlic cloves, chopped
• 3 red chillies, sliced
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp whole white peppercorns
• 1 bunch coriander, washed and chopped, reserving some to garnish

Marinating time: 1 hour

Instructions

1. Preheat a chargrill pan or barbecue.
2. For the marinade, combine all the ingredients in a non - reactive bowl. Add the chicken, stir to combine well, then cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
3. Meanwhile, for the sawsawan, you will need a jug deep enough to dip the bamboo skewers into. Place all the ingredients into the jug and stir until the sugar has dissolved.Reserve a little of the sawsawan for serving.
4. Thread the marinated chicken onto the bamboo skewers, then dip the skewers into the brine.
5. Grill the skewers for 4 minutes on each side, basting with the sawsawan once or twice, then serve with the reserved sawsawan.

Photography by Kitti Gould.

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