The Allrounder: Coconut Lime Marinade

 

 

This easy to make marinade works on pretty much anything you’re planning to grill. The fat in the coconut milk helps lubricate everything while aromatics of garlic, ginger, chilis and coriander bring the heat. Lime cuts through the fat and helps tenderise meat if that’s what you’re into. Finally the honey helps everything caramelises on the grill, giving you the charr. 

If you’re not into chill, up the ginger by 50%.

Don’t throw away any leftover marinade. Heat it through thoroughly gently but thoroughly if you’ve been bathing meat in it. Baste your skewered food as your cooking or serve it on the side as a sauce. 

Leftover coconut milk works well to cut down a yoghurt sauce to squeeze over the top. Add a few tablespoons of yoghurt or mayo to a bottle, add a teaspoon of garlic powder, a pinch of salt then about 60 mil of coconut milk. Screw the lid on, give it a shake and you're good to go. 

Serve with some pan toasted cooked chickpeas and grilled veggies for a low carb dinner. Flatbreads also work extremely well to mop all the residual cooked marinade.

Equipment:

Hand Forged Broad Skewers 

Chimney Starter

Chimney topper 

Non-reactive bowl for marinating

Ingredients:

5 Cloves of garlic peeled  

1 Thumb sized piece of ginger peeled and roughly chopped

2 Birdseye chilis (or something milder if you're into chilli heat). 

1/2 bunch Coriander 

1 Lime - zested and juiced 

1 Lime - juiced*

100 mil (1/4 tin) Coconut milk. 

1 tsp Salt

1 tsp Freshly ground black pepper

1/4 tsp msg

1 tbsp Olive oil 

1 tbsp Honey

Method:

Throw everything in a blender or liquidiser and whizz until smooth. Taste it for seasoning. If it’s too sour, add some more honey. Too sweet? More lime juice. Same goes for salt and pepper and msg. If should be well balanced and deeply flavourful.

Usage:

Meat:

Add it to big chunky pieces of meat or vegetables. This is my go to for chicken thighs but I’ve had it with cubed pork shoulder and it works perfectly. The lime  breaks down the tougher fibres of fattier cuts, be sure to give it at least two hours.

Skewer your meat an hour or so before you’re ready to cook. Let them sit in the fridge on-skewer to firm up. It’s not vital but it will make your life easier during the cook.

Light up your grill, get it nice hot then either cook direct, turning continuously for 15 - 20 mins or indirect for about 30 mins then charr at the end over the coals. If you haven’t already, consider investing in a decent instant read thermometer. You’ll wonder how you ever got by without it.

Vegetables: 

This is a relatively loose marinade so I tend to go with porous veggies that can soak it up nicely.

Aubergines and courgettes are good options. Cut them into large chunks. If you have time, salt them to draw out excess moisture, pat them dry with kitchen towel then marinade it, basically replacing that water with flavour.

Pro tip: If you're cooking for vegetarians on the same barbecue as the meat, use a clean chimney topper to keep the away from meaty contamination. 

*I’m not sure how to clearly write what I mean in list form but you want two limes. Both juiced. Only one zested.