Hopefully, at this point, maybe you trust me a little? This dish is delicious--sweet, salty and spicy. Really good. And it's versatile--I've made it with both chicken and shrimp. The downside? While cooking, it stinks. Blame it on the fish sauce, an Asian staple of liquefied anchovies and water. Fish sauce can be found in the Asian food aisle of most supermarkets. It smells like, well, feet, but it's also great because it adds a depth of earthy saltiness to Asian dishes. So there's the full disclosure. Now just trust me and try it.
Spicy Caramelized Chicken (adopted from Quick and Easy Vietnamese--serves 2)
2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into large chunks (You want to keep it large so it doesn't overcook.)
2 Tbs. canola oil
1 Tbs. minced garlic
3 Tbs. minced fresh ginger (I have substituted ginger powder. It works, but it's not as fresh tasting.)
2 Tbs. finely chopped shallots or onion
3 Tbs. brown sugar
2 Tbs. fish sauce
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. red pepper flakes (This makes it spicy. Use less if you prefer.)
1/4 cup water
Heat oil over med-high heat until hot. Add chicken and cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Push chicken to sides of pan. Add garlic, shallots, and ginger to center and stir fry 1 minute. Stir in with chicken. Add sugar, fish sauce, salt, pepper and pepper flakes. Stir in and bring to boil. Add water, stir, and reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Cook until the sauce is thick and coats the chicken (approx. 10 minutes), stirring frequently. Serve over rice.
Shrimp Variation (in picture):
Begin with the garlic, shallots, and ginger and continue to cook the sauce until it is almost thick (7-8 minutes). Add a pound of shrimp and stir into sauce until cooked through.
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