Wok-fried Chicken and Vegetables with Ginger and Lemongrass
By Recipe developed for Sur La Table’s Cooking Classes
Wok-fried Chicken and Vegetables with Ginger and Lemongrass
By Recipe developed for Sur La Table’s Cooking Classes
Yield/Serves:
Makes 4 servings
- ⅓ cup fish sauce
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice, plus more to taste
- ¼ cup firmly packed palm sugar or light brown sugar
- ¼ cup very finely minced lemongrass, white parts only
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and sliced into thin strips
- ½ teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons Thai wok or peanut oil, divided
- 1 large red bell pepper, cored and cut into matchsticks
- 8 shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and sliced
- 1 tablespoon finely minced ginger
- 1 medium garlic clove, minced
- 1 to 2 Thai bird chiles, or to taste, thinly sliced
- 1 bunch green onions, ends trimmed, cut into 1-inch long pieces
- ½ cup loosely packed Thai basil leaves, torn
The pungent flavors of Thailand come to life in this simple yet flavorful dish. The chicken is marinated in a lemongrass sauce which also does double-duty as a sauce for the stir-fried vegetables. Lemongrass is very fibrous and adds great texture to this stir-fry, just make sure it is very finely minced.
To make marinade and stir-fry sauce: Place fish sauce, lime juice, palm sugar, and lemongrass in a small mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Pour half of the marinade into a large sealable bag and add chicken. Marinate for 30 minutes. Pour remaining marinade into a small mixing bowl and whisk in corn starch. Set aside.
Remove chicken from plastic bag and discard marinade. Place the chicken in a bowl, setting it—along with the rest of the stir-fry ingredients and an extra, clean medium bowl—next to the stovetop.
Heat a wok over high heat and swirl in 1 tablespoon oil to coat. Add red pepper and mushrooms and stir-fry until tender, about 2 minutes. Add ginger, garlic, chiles and green onions and cook until aromatic, 1 minute. Transfer vegetables from the wok to a medium bowl and return wok to high heat.
Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil and swirl to coat. When oil is just beginning to smoke, add chicken and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add reserved lemongrass sauce, toss well to coat, and cook 1 to 2 minutes to reduce sauce. Return vegetables to wok, tossing to coat thoroughly. Once chicken has cooked through completely, remove wok from heat, add basil and toss once more.
To serve: transfer to a warmed serving platter and serve immediately.
To make marinade and stir-fry sauce: Place fish sauce, lime juice, palm sugar, and lemongrass in a small mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Pour half of the marinade into a large sealable bag and add chicken. Marinate for 30 minutes. Pour remaining marinade into a small mixing bowl and whisk in corn starch. Set aside.
Remove chicken from plastic bag and discard marinade. Place the chicken in a bowl, setting it—along with the rest of the stir-fry ingredients and an extra, clean medium bowl—next to the stovetop.
Heat a wok over high heat and swirl in 1 tablespoon oil to coat. Add red pepper and mushrooms and stir-fry until tender, about 2 minutes. Add ginger, garlic, chiles and green onions and cook until aromatic, 1 minute. Transfer vegetables from the wok to a medium bowl and return wok to high heat.
Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil and swirl to coat. When oil is just beginning to smoke, add chicken and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add reserved lemongrass sauce, toss well to coat, and cook 1 to 2 minutes to reduce sauce. Return vegetables to wok, tossing to coat thoroughly. Once chicken has cooked through completely, remove wok from heat, add basil and toss once more.
To serve: transfer to a warmed serving platter and serve immediately.