This dish is a whole chicken, marinated, then vertically roasted and flambeed. It gets its name from the flames that shoot from the open body cavity of the chicken. It makes a dramatic presentation. To prop up the chicken, you can use either one of those vertical roasting racks or the "chicken on a throne" technique described in the recipe.
Gai Pu Khao (Volcano Chicken)
1 whole chicken, about 5 pounds
1 whole head of garlic, cloves peeled and minced
1 TBS coriander seed
1 tsp black peppercorns
1/2 tsp salt
1 TBS fresh lemongrass, minced
1/4 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup fish sauce
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup whiskey
2 TBS oyster sauce
1 TBS red curry paste
2 TBS Thai chili in oil (nam prik pao); optional
For flambeing: 2 oz whiskey
1. Pound the garlic, coriander, peppercorns, salt, and lemongrass into a paste using a mortar and pestle (the traditional method) or a spice grinder and food processor. Mix the paste with the remaining ingredients. Marinate the chicken in this mixture for at least three hours, preferably overnight, in the refrigerator.
2. Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Remove the chicken from the marinade. Reserve the marinade. Prop up the chicken over an open soda or soup can half full of water or stock, inserted into the chicken's lower cavity, so that the chicken sits up vertically. Place the chicken in a roasting pan suitable for catching the drippings. Place the chicken in the oven and lower the temperature to 350 degrees.
3. While the chicken is cooking, put the marinade in a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Cook over medium heat until it thickens.
4. Baste the chicken with the marinade every 20 minutes or so. Turn the chicken if necessary to make sure it browns evenly. The chicken should cook for 90 minutes or more. It is done when the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. When the chicken is done, remove it from the oven and let it rest about 10 minutes.
5. To flambe, pour a few ounces of whiskey into a cup, then pour it onto the top of the chicken. Set it alight with a match or lighter and enjoy the spectacle. To avoid any potential mishap, do NOT pour the whiskey directly from the bottle. Make sure you flambe away from curtains, napkins, or other inflammable items.
6. Remove the prop from the chicken and carve. Serve with rice (preferably Thai sticky rice or jasmine rice).
