Festival Tumeric Skewers

I used my mortar and pestle finally for the first time that my parents got me for Christmas and I love it. I felt like a real cook, mashing cilantro and spices, and using it to make this recipe. I'll be honest in saying I'm not sure if this trial was completely successful as I am not a very good griller. I don't know my way around a grill even though I love grilled food, so I think this recipe took way longer than anticipated. I turned the skewers to try and evenly cook through the chicken, but it seemed like it took F O R E V E R.  Once we (nathan had to help me) got them cooked, they did taste very good, but I think I might try cooking them in the pan first and then searing them on the grill towards the end. I feel like I have more of my bearings inside a pan..Hopefully I'll get better and learn the grill a lot more and can try other recipes that way. p.s. I call these Festival skewers because as I was grilling them, it reminded me of the Festival we have downtown every summer where there is a ton of amazing street food and aromas, and I almost felt like one of the street vendors*..

you'll need:

• 1/4 cup finely-chopped cilantro stems
• 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
• 2 tsp garlic, minced
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 tsp fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon ground turmeric
• 1 tablespoons brown sugar

mortar and pestle: cilantro leaves, black pepper corns, and garlic, mashed into chunky paste

cut chicken into small chunks and place in bowl, combine fish sauce, turmeric, and brown sugar, and a sprinkle of salt (about a tsp) and add to chicken cubes, along with the mortar mixture. mix with hands till coated.  refrigerate for an hour or 2. 

place on skewers and grill on stove top grill to cooked through and charred a bit.