Chicken With Lemongrass (gin xao xaot)
1 small roasting chicken, about 2 pounds
3 or 4 stalks lemon grass or rind of 1 large lemon
3 spring onions
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons oil
1 or 2 fresh red chilliest seeded and chopped
2 teaspoons sugar extra black pepper to taste
1/2 cup roasted peanuts, finely chopped
Instructions: Cut chicken into small serving pieces. Chinese style, chopping
through the bones w ith a sharp cleaver. Remove outer leaves of the lemon grass
and finely slice the tender white part at the base of the stalks. Bruise with
mortar and pestle or handle of cleaver. Finely slice the spring onions.
including the green leaves. Mix the chicken with the salt. pepper, lemon grass
and spring onions and set aside for 30 minutes. If lemon rind is used instead of
lemon grass. shred the thinly peeled rind very finely with a sharp knife . Heat
a wok. add oil and when oil is hot add the chicken mixture and stir fry for 3
minutes. Add chilies and stir fry on medium heat for a further 10 minutes or
until chicken no longer looks pink. Season with sugar and pepper and add
peanuts. Stir well. Then serve with rice or noodles.