Ginger & Chilli Chicken Skewers

Usually I try to plan on Sunday night what I will cook for the week ahead, firstly, so that I don't find myself in a panic, and secondly, so that I don't have a daily trip to the supermarket. But some weeks the wheels fall off. This week I have had two kids sick (on three separate days), a funeral to attend and a sick friend to help. Organisation has gone out the window. So this week's meals have had to be from the school of minimal effort for maximum taste.

Take a bow Donna Hay. Donna is the queen of this sort of cooking. She has published at least six cookbooks, first in Australia and then overseas as well as her own magazine. All of her work seems to revolve around good tasting meals that are usually fast and not too difficult. Her magazines are beautifully styled and photographed as well. I tend to turn to her when I feel swamped by chaos - thank you Donna. This recipe is from the Aug/Sep 2008 Donna Hay Magazine. The ginger and chilli flavour the chicken but it is not overly spicy at all. And by the way, the dipping sauce is quite sour - up the amount of brown sugar if that is more to your taste.

Ginger and Chilli Chicken Skewers
adapted from Donna Hay

4 Chicken thigh fillets, halved
1/3 cup oyster sauce
1 long red chilli, seeded and chopped finely
30g ginger, chopped into matchsticks
2 tbl Shaoxing wine (replace with sherry if you need to)
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/4 cup coriander leaves

Peanut Dipping Sauce
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 cup roasted peanuts, chopped
1 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped mint.

To make the dipping sauce, whisk ingredients together. Set aside.

Combine the chicken, oyster sauce, chilli, ginger, shaoxing, garlic and coriander, and toss to coat. Leave to marinate for 30 minutes. Thread the chicken onto skewers. Chargrill or BBQ for 3-4 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Serve with the dipping sauce and some steamed rice.