Hot Chile Chicken with Ginger and Lemon Grass
At first glance these eye-catching chile peppers look like red jalapeno. However, they have a different flavor and are less meaty than Jalapeno. Red Fresnos are great roasted and added to salsas. Try grilling them alongside your steaks or in kabobs.
When roasting these they should char, blister, and become soft. Try substituting these in your favorite chile recipes.
Ingredients:
3 chicken legs (thighs and drumsticks)
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 piece fresh ginger, 3/4 inch long, peeled and finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 small red chile, seeded and finely chopped
1 piece lemon grass, 2 inch long, shredded
2/3 cup chicken stock
1 Tbsp fish sauce (optional)
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 oz raw peanuts
2 spring onions, shredded
1 zest of mandarin orange, shredded
2 Tbsp chopped mint
rice or rice noodles, to serve
Instructions:
With the heel of the knife, chop through the narrow end of the drumsticks. Remove the jointed parts of the drumsticks and thigh bones, then remove the skin.
Heat the oil in a large wok or frying pan. Add the chicken, ginger, garlic, chile, and lemon grass and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the chicken stock, fish sauce if using, sugar, salt, and lemon juice. Cover and simmer 30-35 minutes.
To prepare the peanuts for the topping, the red skin must be removed. To do this, heat until evenly brown, for about 2-3 minutes. Turn the nuts out onto a clean cloth and rub briskly to loosen the skins.
Serve the chicken scattered with roasted peanuts, shredded spring onions, and the zest of the mandarin orange. Serve with rice or rice noodles.
Serves 4-6.
From “Fire and Spice” by Hsiung, Fernandez, and Wheeler.