Ingredients

  • 3 Cornish hens
  • 12 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
  • 14 cup mirin or 14 cup sweet sake or 14 cup riesling wine or 14 cup other sweet wine
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon fermented black beans (rinsed and chopped)
  • 2 teaspoons sesame chili oil (I used half sesame oil, half chili oil)
  • 2 teaspoons lime juice
  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons ground ginger
  • 13 cup chopped cilantro
  • 3 tablespoons oil
  • 1 cup sliced onion
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 12 tablespoons peeled minced ginger
  • 1 cup thinly chopped carrot
  • 12 cup diced celery
  • 34 cup julienned red bell pepper
  • 34 cup julienned yellow bell pepper
  • 12 cup thinly chopped green cabbage
  • 8 ounces bok choy, ends trimmed and sliced horizontally
  • 2 teaspoons five-spice powder
  • 3 tablespoons reduced salt soy sauce
  • 14 cup chicken stock
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar

Method

  • Remove neck and giblets from hens and rinse them and pat dry.
  • Halve hens by cutting firmly through the breast and backbone with a sharp knife.
  • Pound each half with the palm of your hand to flatten the hens.
  • Marinade:.
  • In a medium saute pan or skillet, combine all marinade ingredients and simmer 7-8 minutes.
  • Cool in refrigerator or freezer.
  • In a large, resealable plastic bag, marinate hens for 2-3 hours.
  • Remove hens from marinade; reserve marinade.
  • Prepare a charcoal fire.
  • When coals are very hot but not flaming, spearate them to the sides of the grill so the hens can cook in the middle by indirect heat.
  • The coals should be hot enough to cook for one hour, but not so hot as to burn the honey in the marinade.
  • For a gas grill, heat grill and turn flames to low.
  • Place hens on grill skin side down and cook, covered, about 25 minutes, basting with marinade.
  • Turn and continue to cook and baste for 20-25 minutes, or till juices run clear (I don't think mine took quite that long).
  • Remove from grill and keep warm.
  • In a large saute pan or wok, heat oil over high heat.
  • Add onions, garlic, ginger, carrots, celery, peppers, bok choy and five spice powder.
  • Stir fry for 3-4 minutes, tossing constantly.
  • Add soy sauce, stock and brown sugar and continue to stir fry for 2-3 minutes more.
  • Do not overcook.
  • To serve, divide vegetables evenly on plates and top with game hen halves.
  • If you have marinade left over and want to use it drizzle over the dish, place marinade in a saucepan and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 3-4 minutes.