CHINESE COOKING: This is a nice way to cook either whole chicken or just the thigh & leg pieces. Hope you'll give the recipe a try.

LEMON GRASS CHICKEN 香茅雞扒:

 

 

 

 

6 chicken thighs & legs pieces, skin on but trimmed of excess fat

2-3 stalks lemon grass

marinade:

    2 tbsp. fish sauce

    2 tsp. sugar

    2 tbsp. coarsely chopped garlic

    2 tbsp. water

    1 strip lemon rind, finely chopped

    1 tbsp. each rice wine and finely minced ginger

sauce:

    1/2 tsp. minced garlic

    1 tbsp. reserved finely chopped lemon grass

    2 tbsp. fish sauce

    2-3 tsp. sugar

    1/2 cup water

2 tbsp. tapioca starch mixed with 2 tbsp. water

 

 

 

Wash chicken pieces and pat dry with paper towels. Use a sharp paring knife to debone chicken piece; then season with 1/2 to 3/4 tsp. salt.

 

Use a meat mallet to flat out lemon grass. Discard the outer green part, and chop the inner white part coarsely. Transfer lemon grass, lemon peel and garlic to food processor with steel glade attached. Process until finely chopped.  Reserve 1 tbsp. of lemon grass mixture; then transfer the rest to a bowl. Add in fish sauce, sugar, wine and water. Pour marinade into deboned chicken piece; turning pieces over couple of times to coat well with marinade. Leave chicken in fridge overnight to develop favour.

 

In the morning, remove chicken pieces, brushing off as much of the lemon grass clinging to the meat as possible; then refrigerate until ready to cook.

 

To make sauce:  Heat 1 tsp. oil in a saucepan over high heat until hot to cook garlic and lemon grass for a minute or 2 until fragrant. Add in fish sauce, sugar and water and bring  mixture to a boil. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding a bit more sugar if desired. Add in starch solution, mixing and stirring well. Continue cooking until sauce is thickened. Strain sauce into a container and keep warm.

 

Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a large non-stick skillet over high heat until hot. Pan fry chicken pieces, in batches if necessary, for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until well-browned and just cooked.

 

Cut chicken into bite-size pieces and arrange decoratively on serving platter. Spoon some  hot sauce on chicken to serve.