Grilled Chicken with Sweet Hot Chili Relish

On a long visit to New Zealand we discovered that Thai flavors seem to creep into much of the food here. This recipe is inspired by the many sweet-hot-chili relishes we savored while in Kiwiland.

This relish is incredibly simple to make though it does take some time. It can be made a day or two ahead of time and keeps well for up to 5 days in the refigerator. Pair it with coconut rice and sauteed greens for a complete meal. It can also be used to top bacon and egg or cheese and onion sandwiches or on grilled shrimp.

Relish:

6 medium tomatoes, peeled [see below] and diced in medium pieces
1 medium onion, diced in small pieces
1-2 hot red chilis, sliced thinly into rings
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon sea salt
12 whole allspice berries

[Cut a small ‘x’ on the bottom side of the tomatoes and place in boiling water for 20 seconds. The skin will then slip off easily. See photo.]

Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan. Stir and bring to a boil (it will become very liquidy). Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 3 to 4 hours or until thick, stirring occasionally. Remove allspice before using.

For the rest of the meal:

1 whole chicken, cut up into pieces, or any combination of 8 pieces you like
oil for grill

After washing and drying the chicken rub it with 1/2 the relish. Refrigerate for 1 hour. 15 minutes before you are ready to grill remove from refrigerator. Oil the grill and heat grates well. Cool chicken on a low flame since the sugar in the relish will make it more likely to catch on fire. Grill for approximately 30 minutes, or until it reaches an internal temperature of °165 F / °74 C. Let rest 10 minutes before serving. This is a good time to sautée the greens.

Coconut Rice recipe is available here
Sautéed Greens recipe is available here