| Portions |
|---|
| 2 |
Ingredients
- 380g boneless chicken thigh (about 4 - 5 thighs)
- 13 cloves of garlic
- 45g of ginger (about 10 slices)
- 1 shallot
- 1 thai chili (optional)
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
- 50ml shaoxing wine
- 10ml mirin
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tsp honey
- 1/2 cup loosely packed thai basil
- 1 tsp corn starch
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- 1/2 tsp rice vinegar
To Garnish
- 10 - 12 basil leaf
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1/2 shallot
Directions
- Cut the chicken into 1.5-inch pieces. Place them in a bowl, add cornstarch and white pepper, mix well and then set aside.
- Peel all the garlic and trim off the root ends. Smash 4–5 cloves and leave the rest whole. Peel the ginger and slice it thinly, about 2 mm thick. Thinly slice the shallots and Thai chilies.
- Add about 2 tbsp of oil along with the sesame oil to a pan over medium heat. Sauté the ginger slices for a few minutes, then add the whole garlic cloves. Flip them occasionally until the ginger develops golden, crispy edges and the garlic turns a nice golden color on the outside. Remove them from the pan and set aside.
- In the same oil, add the smashed garlic cloves and the sliced shallots. Sauté just until fragrant. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the chicken, placing as many pieces skin-side down as possible. Let the chicken cook undisturbed for a few minutes until one side is golden. Flip the pieces and cook for a few more minutes on the other side. If the chicken thighs are very fatty and have rendered too much oil, scoop out 1–2 tablespoons of the excess fat as needed
- Add the Shaoxing wine and mirin to the pan. Let the alcohol cook off for a few minutes, gently stirring to deglaze the pan. Once the liquid has reduced slightly, add the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, honey, and 2-3 tablespoons of water. (Note: Shaoxing wine is a type of rice wine and it contains salt—this dish is traditionally made without any water, but I find it too salty using Shaoxing wine, so feel free to adjust the salt level as needed). Add back the ginger slices and garlic, cover and cook over low–medium heat for about 8 minutes. Then remove the lid and continue cooking over medium heat until the sauce has slightly thickened. Finally, add a splash of rice vinegar to brighten the dish a little.
- Turn off the heat, then add the Thai chili and Thai basil. Cover for a minute, mix well, and it’s ready to serve.
- If you’re feeling a little extra fancy, thinly slice one clove of garlic, soak it in water for 10 minutes, then pat dry—this helps remove some of the bitter taste when fried. Thinly slice half of a shallot. In a small pot, fry the shallots and garlic until golden and crispy, then toss in the basil (it will make a big sound—don’t panic). This only takes a few seconds. Drain the garnish, sprinkle lightly with salt, and use it to top the dish.
Bonus tip: try the whole garlic in the dish, it’s creamy and eats really well with the chicken. Kind of like confit garlic.