Volcano Chicken, "Gai Pu Khao"

A complicated Thai dish not very common in restaurants, but unique flavor and certainly Thai in character.  When the chicken is placed vertically on the plate and ignited the flames coming from the open body cavity resemble the eruption of a volcano (hence the name). No longer the exclusivity of fancy restaurants, the art of flambeing is becoming part of entertaining at home, and this is a great holiday dish.

Ingredients

1 chicken, about 2 pounds or a little more. 

Marinade 

2 tablespoons of garlic, minced 
half a teaspoon Thai pepper powder
1/4 cup of fish sauce 
1/4 cup of whiskey 
1/4 cup of honey 
1/4 cup of coconut milk 
1 tablespoon of red curry paste 
2 tablespoons Thai chili in oil

For flambeing : 1 cup whiskey

Method

Mix the marinade ingredients, then clean and prepare the chicken. Thoroughly coat the chicken with marinade, and leave to stand in a wok for 12 hours (refrigerated). 

Remove the chicken from the wok allowing to drain thoroughly, then over medium heat reduce the marinade to form a thick sauce. 

The chicken should be stood upright on an ovenproof plate (in Thailand a metal disk with a vertical peg attached is used. Something similar is sold as a "chicken roaster" in America), and cooked in a medium oven until the skin just begins to change color. 

Remove the chicken and place it on a flame proof (we suggest heavy metal) dish and bring to a side table. Pour whiskey through the interior of the bird, and then ladle it over the outside so the bird is thoroughly coated, then ignite and allow the whiskey to burn itself out. 

Carve the chicken, and serve with Thai jasmine rice, and stir fried green vegetables, and the usual Thai table condiments and the reduced sauce.

Notes on Flambeing (be careful, you are playing with fire after all!)
Heat liquor until warm. Do not overheat or alcohol will evaporate
Never pour liquor directly from a bottle into a hot pan or an already flaming dish as the flames may travel to the bottle.
Grape-based brandies (cognac or any California-made brandy) are ideal for this dish.
To make the flames of a dessert last longer, soak a sugar cube with cognac and place it on the food before igniting.