Gà Kho Gừng (Braised Chicken with Ginger)

This is an edited rendition of a Vietnamese classic. The traditional version of this dish requires chicken chunks complete with skin and bones. I hate picking out the bones while eating, so I rid myself of the trouble. I decided to forgo the skin as well because of the fat. I recommend using a clay pot of some sort for this dish, but if all else fails, a regular pan works just fine.





Gà Kho Gừng (Braised Chicken with Ginger)
Savor. Devour.

Serves 4 people

Materials:

· 6 chicken thighs

· Chicken Marinade: 1 tbsp salt, 1 tbsp pepper, 1 tbsp sugar, 2 tbsp MSG substitute (I use a vegetarian mushroom seasoning), 1 tbsp minced garlic, 2 tbsp fish sauce

· 3 inch knob of ginger, julienned

· 2 tbsp garlic, minced

· 1 Japanese cucumber, sliced

Procedures:

· Prepare the thighs and let marinade for an hour (the longer the marinade, the better. There were days when I would make the marinade the night before.)

· In a clay pot, add 2 tbsp oil and 2 tbsp sugar, let it caramelize and add garlic and meat, mix well. Let meat cook on high until golden. Add ginger and mix well.

· Add water to the brim of chicken so that the water barely covers all chicken. Turn the heat to medium-low and let it simmer (about 30 – 45 minutes) until chicken is soft and the sauce is down to a thicker consistency. There should be a bit more sauce than you started with but not a lot more. Re-season to taste.

· Enjoy with rice and sliced fresh cucumbers.