Grandma's Twice Cooked Chicken ไก่เค็ม

Method10 steps · about 55 min

1. 1

   Step 1: If making the optional dipping sauce, pound its 2 tbsp chopped ginger, 2 garlic cloves, 2 Thai chillies and 2 tbsp cilantro stems into a paste. Stir in the separate 2 tbsp dip soy sauce, 2 tbsp lime juice and ½ tsp sugar.

   Uses 2 Tbsp finely chopped ginger · 2 cloves garlic · 2 Thai chilies · 2 Tbsp chopped cilantro stems · 2 Tbsp soy sauce · 2 Tbsp lime juice · 1/2 tsp sugar

2. 2

   Step 2: To poach the chicken (670 g): Add chicken, ginger (8 slices), garlic (3 cloves), and lemongrass top (if using) to a pot and add just enough cold water to cover the chicken. Add salt (½ tsp) and stir the water around a bit to mix the salt (so it's not just sitting as a pile on top of a piece of chicken!).

   Uses 670 g chicken (four bone-in thighs and one small breast) · 3 cloves garlic · 8 slices ginger · Lemongrass tops, if you have it · ½ tsp salt · cold water just enough to cover chicken for poaching

3. 3

   Step 3: Turn on the heat to medium high and bring the water to a VERY gentle simmer—water should be steaming lots but it should be very still, with few, gentle bubbles—175°F-185°F (80°C-85°C). Do not let the water boil.

   Uses 670 g combined chicken thighs and breast covered with cold water, poaching garlic, ginger, optional lemongrass and half teaspoon salt

4. 4

   Step 4: Poach about 20–30 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked and its thickest part reaches 165°F (74°C). Remove from the broth and cool enough to handle. If not using straight away, refrigerate promptly. Reserve the broth for cooking rice if desired.

   Poach chicken · 30 minUses poaching water maintained at 175–185°F (80–85°C) without boiling

5. 5

   Step 5: Tear the chicken into small bite-sized pieces, making sure you take off all the meat even if the pieces are just tiny little shreds—that's the good part!

   Uses chicken cooked through and cooled enough to handle

6. 6

   Step 6: To stir-fry the chicken: In a wok, add a little vegetable oil, garlic (6 cloves) and ginger (4 slices) and saute over medium heat for about 30 seconds or until you see the first sign of browning on the smallest pieces of garlic. Add palm sugar (4 tsp) and cook until the sugar is melted.

   Fry garlic ginger · 1 minUses 6 cloves garlic · 4 slices ginger · 4 tsp palm sugar · a little vegetable oil for stir-frying

7. 7

   Step 7: Add the chicken, soy sauce (1½–2 tbsp), black soy sauce and black pepper (¼ tsp), then turn up the heat to high and keep tossing until the chicken has absorbed all the sauce and there is no more liquid pooling in the pan.

   Uses 1½–2 tbsp soy sauce · black soy sauce · ¼ tsp black pepper · cooked chicken meat torn from its bones into small bites · stir-fry garlic and ginger fried in oil thirty seconds, then four teaspoons palm sugar melted in

8. 8

   Step 8: Once the chicken is dry, let it sit on the pan for several seconds without stirring to get some caramelization on the chicken. Give it a flip and let it sit one more time to get more browning. Remove from heat.

   Uses shredded cooked chicken tossed with stir-fry soy, black soy and pepper until liquid is absorbed

9. 9

   Step 9: TASTE! Tasting is always important but it's more important in this recipe because all the seasoning is absorbed into the chicken, so the ratio between chicken to seasoning matters a lot. If you have larger chicken pieces, for example, you may need more salt, and vice versa. If you find that you need more salt at this stage, do not add soy sauce because it will create more liquid; add salt. If you need more sugar, add granulated sugar so it mixes in more easily.

   Uses salt · extra granulated sugar for taste adjustment after frying · sauced chicken caramelized on both sides and taken off heat

10. 10

    Step 10: Once the seasoning is adjusted, toss in some chopped cilantro if you want (off heat) and serve with rice and dipping sauce. Enjoy!

    Uses Chopped cilantro, optional · ready cooked rice for serving · browned chicken tasted and optionally adjusted with salt or granulated sugar · dip mixed from its separate ginger, garlic, chilli, cilantro stems, soy, lime and half teaspoon sugar