Sunday, March 4, 2012

I think I might actually be asian.

Ignore the pasty white skin and strawberry blonde hair...Since I was born in Indonesia, I grew up with a great love and respect for all things asian.  Obviously there is quite a variety from Vietnamese to Thai to Chinese to Indonesian, but the spices and techniques are so similar.  Not to mention the types of vegetables available in those countries does differ a decent amount to what we naturally have here in the US.  Fortunately, I am not alone, and we can really find relatively decent substitutes here in the US for those foreign ingredients.  This recipe is one that I came up with in an attempt to copy a Vietnamese dish at a wonderful restaurant in Portand Oregan called Pho Van.  While this is not the same as thier delicious dish, it is really good.  And since I'm asian at heart, I will say that this recipe can definitley compete.

Stef's Pho Vietnamese lemongrass chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup honey
4 Tbs vegetable oil
2 Large cloves of garlic, minced
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, finely grated
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon chicken bullion paste
2 stalks of lemon grass, sliced in 1/4 inch slices
juice of one lime

Directions:

Place all ingredients (except chicken) in a bowl and stire to combine well.  Place the chicken breasts in a large zip loc bag and pound each one out so that it is equal thickness all the way across the piece (about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch).  I use my rolling pin to achieve this, but you could also use a can of soup, a heavy metal bowl or a small fry pan.  Once you have pounded out your chicken, place your marinade in the bag along with the chicken.  Squeeze out all of the excess air and seal your bag.  Let marinade for at least one hour, and preferably 4-6.

Preheat your bbq grill to medium high heat and place each chicken breast on the grill.  Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, basting with reserved marinade every few minutes.  Once chicken is cooked through, remove from grill and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.  This ensures that the chicken retain it's juicyness.

Serve over steamed white rice

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