The Global Kitchen

I got this recipe via email from my brother who spent quite few years in SE Asia. He promised it would be great and I had all the ingredients on hand. So I decided it would be a good dinner after my long commute home.

This is really good! Even my boyfriend who gazes suspiciously on fish sauce(he isn't entirely convinced it's a flavor enhancer) devoured his portion.

I didn't taste much lemon though so next time I will increase the juice. I didn't have 20 of the small Asian shallots so I used one of the giant American ones. I think this will also be good with chiles and limes although that would be a different dish. Probably closer to Evil Jungle Prince.

I'm relaying the recipe exactly as he typed it. Warning: profanity at the end.

Lao Lemon Chicken

2 TBS. Canola oil
20 small shallots, sliced as thin as you can
10 Oz. chicken breast chunks
2 TBS fish sauce
8 Oz. Coconut milk
Juice of 1/2 a small Lemon
Zest of all the small lemon
5 Green Onions, cut into 2.5" lengths
Cilantro to garnish

In a fry pan fry the shallots on a low setting (about 250) until golden brown. (This should take about 8-10 minutes. Stir constantly. Some shallots will appear dark and others appear white, take them out when about 3/4 are brown. The white ones will continue to cook, don't worry.) Remove the shallots to a paper towel. They should get crispy after they leave the oil.

Heat the oil in a saute pan or wok and add the chicken. Brown the chicken as much as you can while leaving the inside raw. Add the coconut milk, fish sauce, 3/4 of the shallots, the green onion white bottoms, lemon juice, and zest. Simmer for 5 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Add the green onion tops, stir 1 minute until they are just soft.

Turn out in a bowl and garnish with remaining crispy shallots and Cilantro. Serve with steamed rice.

This goes well with mushrooms. I just put one clove of minced garlic in a tsp of oil in a small pot and gently cook until white, then add a package of whole button mushrooms, coat them with the oil, add S&P, cover, and set on the lowest possible I can get my stove, and them forget about them. I cooked the whole Lao dish after that, only shaking the pot every once in a while. The mushrooms just extrude all their natural juices and steam themselves so after 1/2 hour-45 min. they're fucking awesome!