Recipe - Lemongrass Chicken (Ga Xao Sa Ot)

Stephen Ceideburg
2 pound Chicken parts
2 Stalks lemongrass
2 tablespoon Fish sauce
1 teaspoon Sugar
One half teaspoon Kosher salt
One fourth teaspoon Freshly ground pepper
3 Green onions, cut into
1inch pieces
1 tablespoon Minced garlic
Oil, for stir frying
2 Fresh red chiles, seeded and
julienned
1 Handful fresh basil or mint
leaves or a combination
(optional)

1. Chop chicken with a cleaver into braising pieces about 1 inch thick.
Remove tops and tough outer leaves of lemongrass and slice tender hearts as
thin as possible. In a bowl combine chicken, lemongrass, 1 tablespoon of
the fish sauce, sugar, salt, pepper, green onions, and garlic and toss to
season chicken evenly. Marinate One half to 1 hour.

2. in a wok or skillet heat oil over mediumhigh heat. Add chile, stirfry
a few seconds, and add chicken mixture. Stirfry until chicken shows no
trace of pink (about 10 minutes). Add a little water if necessary to
prevent scorching. When chicken is done sprinkle with remaining fish sauce,
toss with basil or mint if used, and transfer to serving platter. Serves 4
with other dishes.

Variation: Use 1 pound boneless chicken, cut into 1/4inch cubes, and cook
over high heat (about 2 or 3 minutes).

From the California Culinary Academy's "Southeast Asian Cooking", Jay
Harlow, published by the Chevron Chemical Company, 1987. ISBN
0897210980.

From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini