LARB GAI
Gather together and celebrate your own New Year celebrations in the Year of the Rooster with a summertime classic – Larb Gai. Chicken meat, bright intense chilli, lemongrass and kaffir lime – the tastes of summer!
Ingredients
1 lemongrass stalk, white bulb only, roughly chopped
4 kaffir lime leaves, stalks removed
2 red chillies, deseeded
3 garlic cloves
Fingertip-length piece fresh root ginger,grated
4 skinless chicken breasts or500g chicken mince
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp chilli powder
50ml fish sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 red onion, chopped
3 tbsp lime juice
A handful each of mint, basil and coriander leaves, roughly chopped
To serve:
3 Baby Gem lettuces, leaves separated
1 cucumber, seeds removed and cut into strips lengthways
200g beansprouts
Lime wedges
Hoisin sauce on the side
For larger groups add in an extra 400g to 500g of pork mince with the chicken meat, and double the recipe ingredients.
Method
Roughly chop the lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, red chillies, garlic and ginger, then throw them all into a processor and blitz until everything is very finely chopped together. Mince the chicken breasts into tiny pieces or use freshly minced chicken
Heat a wok over a high heat and add the vegetable oil and the sesame oil. Throw in the lemongrass mixture and fry briefly before adding the minced chicken and the chilli powder
Stir-fry the chicken for 4 mins then splash in the fish sauce and add in the sugar
Turn down the heat a little and allow the chicken and fish sauce to bubble together for another 4 mins, stirring, then add the chopped red onion and cook for another minute
Remove from the heat, pour over the lime juice and toss in the herbs. Serve with the salad veg, a lime wedge and hoisin on the side