Kai sai takrai (chicken and lemon grass)

4 Servings

Ingredients

QuantityIngredient
1cupChicken, cut into bite sized pieces.
2tablespoonsLime juice
2tablespoonsFish sauce
2tablespoonsSliced lemon grass
1tablespoonSliced shallot (purple onions)
2tablespoonsDiced 'spanish' onion
1tablespoonScallion/green onion thinly sliced
1tablespoonThinly sliced garlic
1teaspoonPrik phom (freshly
Ground dried red chilis)
2tablespoonsChicken stock
1tablespoonThinly sliced prik ki
Nu daeng (red birdseye chilis)
1teaspoonSugar
1Bai makroot (kaffir lime leaf), shredded

Directions

This dish has a nice poetic name, as the three words of the name rhyme.

Those who don't like chili can always leave it out. Method: Mix the lime juice and fish sauce, and marinate the chicken for about an hour. Pound the lemon grass with a mallet or meat tenderizer and then very thinly slice it.

Heat a little oil in a wok or skillet to medium high heat, add the shallots, onions, garlic, prik phom and lemon grass, and stir fry until aromatic. Add the chicken and marinade and stir fry until it starts to change color. Add the remaining ingredients and stir fry until heated through and the chicken is fully cooked. Serve with steamed [jasmine] rice.

This dish can also be made with shrimp (kung sai takrai).

Colonel Ian F. Khuntilanont-Philpott Systems Engineering, Vongchavalitkul University, Korat 30000, Thailand From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini