I get asked quite often why I like to cook. The first reason I give is normally because I like to eat. I am Thai and food is a big factor in our culture. We greet each other with hello followed by 'have you eaten? When guests turn up at your house it's safe to assume that they will expect to be fed.

The second reason is that as I grew up in the Northeastern part of Thailand, the poorest region, food was always hard to come by. We weren't hungry as there was always rice, but it was difficult finding something to go with rice. Now I do have ingredients to go with rice, I want to cook!

Tuesday, 19 April 2016

Baked Ginger Chicken ไก่อบขิง


Baked Ginger Chicken.

Stir fried ginger with meat is a Thai staple, it's widely available and considered as health food. This is my lazy twist on the Thai-Chinese classic. The ingredients that go into this bake are the same as those in a straight forward stir fry. Although this is a lazy version, I prefer the flavours that you get from meat being slow cooked and on the bone. The flavour is richer, deeper and goes so well with hot steaming rice.

Serves 6.

In a large bowl, put in,
-30g dry Shitake mushrooms, add
-water
Leave to soak and get on with the next bit.

In a large heat proof casserole pan, put in
-300ml water,
-6cm ginger, sliced into matchsticks,
-4 cloves crushed garlic,
-1 pepper, cut into chunks,
-2 onions, cut into chunks,
-4 chillies (adjust according to your own taste),
-1.8kg free range chicken (trim excess fat but keep the skin on, season with salt/pepper)
-3tbsp oyster sauce,
-3tbsp soy sauce,
-1tbsp Shaoxing rice wine,
-1tbsp sesame oil,
-softened Shitake mushrooms.

Cover with a lid.
Bake in 150c fan forced for 3 hours.
Turn the chicken in the stock half way through cooking.

Leave to cook in the residual heat for 15 minutes or until cool enough to handle.
Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Carve the chicken into portions.
Sprinkle over fresh spring onions, chillies and ginger.
Serve with rice.

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