So I am kinda on an Asian food kick. Ok, that’s an understatement…if left to my own devices, I would be experiementing in the kitchen with Asian food every single day! I adapted this recipe from a recipe I found in Food and Wine magazine. It has Vietnamese flavors, and has a yummy balance of sweet, spicy, salty that is pretty addictive! I served it with steamed jasmine rice and some sauteed spinach with garlic, ginger, and a dash of sesame oil.
½ c dark brown sugar
3 T Asian Fish Sauce
¼ c water
3 T rice vinegar
1 t minced garlic
T 1 finely grated fresh ginger
1 t coarsely ground pepper
2 fresh Thai chiles, halved
1 T peanut oil
1 shallot, thinly sliced
1 lb skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 cilantro sprigs
- In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, fish sauce, water, rice vinegar and half of the ginger.
- Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet. Add the shallot, ginger, and chiles and cook over moderate heat until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the fish sauce mixture to the chicken and simmer over high heat until the chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and garnish with the cilantro.