Dish of Chicken with Sauce
(click to enlarge)

Chicken with Sauce


Thailand   -   Khao Rat Na Kai
Serves:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  		 4 main
***
55 min
Prep		 Topped with a simple salad, this dish is structured to present an amazingly broad palette of complimentary flavors and textures. Chili heat is passed separately (Note-7) See Note-8 about method.

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#
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cl
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Chicken (1)
Chicken Livers
Soy Sauce
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Onion
Garlic
Asian Greens (2)
Pineapple (3)
Scallions
Straw Mushroom (4)  
-- Sauce
Stock
Soy Sauce
Fish Sauce (5)
Sugar (6)
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Cornstarch
Water
Oil
-- Topping
Cherry Tomatoes
Bell Pepper, grn
Cilantro Leaves
-- Serve with
Chili Vinegar (7)
Jasmine Rice
Prep   -   (40 min)
  1. Cut CHICKEN into 3/16 to 1/4 inch thick slices about 1-1/2 to 2 inches long and 1/2 inch wide (or whatever you can do with the chicken you have). Slice CHICKEN LIVERS similarly and massage both together with Soy Sauce Set aside until needed.
  2. Slice ONION in quarters lengthwise, then crosswise into thin slices. Crush GARLIC and chop small. Mix.
  3. Cut GREENS into fairly large pieces, perhaps 2 inches long. Cut the stems on a diagonal 1 to 1-1/2 inches depending on thickness.
  4. Chop PINEAPPLE into about 1/2 inch pieces.
  5. Cut SCALLIONS diagonally into 1 inch lengths, white and green.
  6. Drain Straw Mushrooms.
  7. Mix all Sauce items.
  8. Mix Cornstarch and Water.
  9. For Topping, cut TOMATOES in half lengthwise and again crosswise if large. Sliver BELL PEPPER however you like and strip CILANTRO leaves from stems. Mix.
Run   -   (15 min)
  1. In a wok or 5 quart sauté pan heat Oil over fairly high heat. Stir in Onion mix and fry stirring until the garlic starts to color, then stir in the Chicken. Turn the heat full up and fry stirring until it has lost its raw color.
  2. Stir in Greens until coated with oil, then stir in Stock mix and bring to a simmer. Simmer covered for about 4 minutes.
  3. Stir up Cornstarch mix and stir in for a couple minutes until the sauce starts to thicken.
  4. Stir in Mushrooms and and Pineapple. Continue to simmer covered for another 2 minutes.
  5. Stir in the Scallions and take off the heat.
  6. Serve immediately with the Topping Mix sprinkled over and plenty of steamed Jasmine rice. Pass the Chili Vinegar Sauce separately.
NOTES:

  1. Chicken:

      Weight is for skinless and boneless. I favor thigh/leg meat for flavor and texture, but breast can be used.

  2. Asian Greens:

      The recipe calls for pak kwang tung, which is insufficient definition. Yu Choy (Pak Kwang Tung Dok) and Shanghai Bok Choy (Pak Kwang Tung Hong Tae - sold in supermarkets as " Baby Bok Choy") are the leading candidates and either may be used. Down in the text it says "mustard greens", which would indicate Yu Choy, a form of mustard green. For further details see our Cabbage Greens page.

  3. Pineapple

      I keep a few small 8-oz cans of pineapple slices around so I don't have to butcher a whole pineapple every time a recipe calls for a few ounces. Not as good as fresh, though, unfortunately.

  4. Straw Mushrooms:

      Unfortunately, these will be canned. Unpeeled are best for this recipe but peeled will also work since they are added very late in the recipe. For details see our Straw Mushrooms page.

  5. Fish Sauce:

      This clear liquid is as essential to Southeast Asian cuisine as it was to Imperial Rome. If you are unfamiliar with it, see our Fish Sauce - Introduction page.

  6. Sugar:

      My version uses half the sugar the original calls for, and that's plenty.

  7. Chili Vinegar Sauce

      This condiment is an essential on the Thai table. Make ahead at least a few days if you can. For recipe see our Chili Vinegar Sauce. Serve it in a small bowl with a small spoon for thise who want it.

  8. Method:

      I read the ingredients for this recipe and it sounded interesting, so I got them together and started reading the instructions. Surprise! The instructions didn't mention many of the ingredients but did mention at least one that wasn't on the list - and the ingredients were not in order of use or preparation, but seemingly random. The photograph didn't quite match either, but was a sufficient guide to piece this thing together. Sheeesh! I expect this sort of nonsense in cookbooks from India, but from a 30 year college instructor (Thailand and Hawaii) and the Thai chef of a Berkeley restaurant?

    I did change the order a bit to improve flow and flavor, and added some fish sauce (how could it be Thai without fish sauce?). The pattern recipe was intended to be served restaurant style Khao Rat Na (single potion spooned over a mound of rice) and had twice as much sauce, but I find my amount is plenty for normal table service (and their photo had even less).

  9. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch, ar=as required tt=to taste
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