Char the dried chili peppers. Remember, they need to be charred to create the aroma. This step might make the whole house cough. 😂😂😂

Dry the lime leaves and toast the mac khen until fragrant.

Cut the lemongrass and ginger into pieces to prepare for blending the chicken marinade.

Put the mixture into a food processor to blend, including: charred dried chili peppers, dried lime leaves, toasted mac khen, lemongrass, ginger, 3 tablespoons of salt, and 1 tablespoon of MSG. NOTE: DO NOT USE SUGAR. Although some might not use MSG, Ric recommends it for this dish to achieve the authentic Northwest flavor, and do not substitute MSG with bouillon powder. If the mixture is dry and hard to blend, you can add a little water.

For this dish, we use bamboo to secure the chicken. If you're using an oven, you can leave the chicken whole, split it in half, or cut it into pieces. Marinate the chicken for about 30 minutes before grilling. If using an oven, start at a low temperature to cook the chicken gradually, then increase the heat to brown the skin. Based on experience, grill at about 320-356°F (160-180°C) for about 30 minutes, then increase to 392°F (200°C) for another 15-20 minutes to brown the chicken skin.

For those grilling with charcoal: make sure the charcoal is fully lit before starting to grill. If you're grilling with charcoal, you don't have to worry about the quality. The aroma of mac khen and lime leaves creates a very distinctive Northwest flavor. Many people think this dish is hard to eat, but it's not. Once you try it, you'll be hooked.

Eating grilled chicken with mac khen without the special dipping sauce, cham cheo, wouldn't be the same. So Ric is sharing it with everyone: grilled chili peppers, dried lime leaves, mac khen, garlic, toasted salt, and MSG... note, cham cheo does not use lemongrass and ginger. Put the mixture in a food processor to blend. If you want a wet cham cheo, you can add a little hot water and mix well. For dry cham cheo, stop at the blending step.