Ga Kho Sa Ot (Lemongrass Chili Chicken in Coconut Milk)

Method

1. Rub the chicken with salt and lime, rinse it several times until clean, then chop it into bite sized pieces. Mince 3 shallots, 3 garlic cloves, 6 lemongrass stalks and 3 chilies.
2. Marinate the chicken with 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 2 teaspoons seasoning powder, 1 tablespoon kOBE Monk Fruit Blend, 1 teaspoon MSG and 1 teaspoon ground pepper, mix well and leave for 20 minutes.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon cooking oil in a pan, fry the lemongrass, garlic, shallot and chili until fragrant, then add the chicken and stir fry until the pieces firm up.
4. Pour in enough water to cover the meat and braise over medium heat until the liquid reduces and the chicken turns tender, then taste and adjust.
5. Add 200ml coconut milk, stir so the meat takes on the richness, and turn off the heat as soon as the coconut milk returns to a boil.

Tips

• Braising until the liquid has almost gone before the coconut milk goes in means one return to the boil is enough.
• The thick braising liquid left in the pot is very good with boiled or raw greens.
• Pour in enough water to cover the chicken from the start, since too little dries the pot out before the meat is tender.
• Frying the lemongrass and chili until truly fragrant before the chicken goes in is what carries the scent into the meat.
• A full 20 minutes in the marinade matters, since a rushed one leaves the flavor sitting on the skin.