My mom took a bite and put her fork down. My dad asked me about each step of this recipe. And after they cleared their plates, they lingered on and picked at whatever's left. That's how I knew this stir-fry recipe is a hit.
The caramelised sugar and fish sauce is an amalgamation of sweetness and unami, and despite my reservations at the amount of fish sauce in the recipe, it turned out quite fine. Fish sauce can be quite pungent, and while common in Vietnamese, Thai and Teochew dishes, is not typical in other Chinese cuisines, let alone in a Cantonese kitchen.
As I grow older, I begin to appreciate traditional Asian flavours more. Fish sauce and dashi have found their place in our fridge, and herbs like lemongrass can brighten up a dish quite like nothing else out there. We now have a small thriving patch of lemongrass in our gardens, growing alongside spring onions, lime trees and pots of chilli - undemanding plants that are cheap to grow.
This is an easy recipe that doesn't take much time to do. The chicken would benefit from a quick toss in salt and cornflour about 30 minutes beforehand (but it's no great loss if you omit this step if rushed for time). You can put the rest of the ingredients together quickly as the sugar caramelises on the stove.
Stir-Fry Vietnamese Caramelised Chicken
Adapted from Milk Street Food
INGREDIENTS
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2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 1½-inch pieces
2 tbsp corn flour
50g (¼ cups) granulated white sugar
4 tablespoons coconut water or water, divided
3 tablespoons fish sauce
2 fresno or serrano chilies, stemmed and sliced into thin rings
1 stalk lemon grass, trimmed to the lower 5 or 6 inches, bruised
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh ginger
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 spring onions, sliced thinly and diagonally
STEPS
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Season the chicken lightly with salt. Toss with corn flour to velvet the meat pieces. Set aside for 30 minutes.
In a large pan, combine sugar and 2 tablespoons of the coconut water until no dry lumps remain. Set over medium-high heat and swirl the pan occasionally, until the sugar turns deep brown and begins lightly smoking, about 4 to 6 minutes.
Remove the pan from the fire. Carefully add fish sauce and the remaining 2 tablespoons coconut water; the mixture will hiss and release steam. Return the pan to medium heat and bring to a simmer, stirring as you do until no hardened caramel remains in the mixture. Add the chilies, lemon grass, ginger and pepper, and mix the spices in with the caramel for about 30 seconds, until they release their fragrance. Increase to medium-high and stir in the chicken slices. Return the mixture to a simmer and let cook for 10 to 14 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Remove from the heat and stir in the lime juice.
Garnish with chopped scallions and chili.
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