This is a clean-tasting Thai-influenced dish that isn’t too spicy and has lots of texture, with the moist chicken and crunchy cashew nuts. The ingredients serve one so modify accordingly if you are eating for more than one. I have to say it is also one of the most colorful dishes I have made recently.
Ingredients
- chicken breast
- red pepper
- garlic shoots / green garlic
- a fresh chilli
- a dab of chilli bean paste
- ginger
- garlic
- lemon grass (dried is fine)
- sesame oil
- kecap manis
- one of those little baby limes
- fresh basil (handful)
- cashew nuts
Directions
- Mash together a clove of garlic, a wedge of ginger, a chilli, the zest of half the baby lime and some sesame oil into a paste. Cut the chicken and mix it into the paste. Leave in the fridge for a little while to let the paste flavour the chicken.
- Heat some oil in a wok. Soften up some chopped red peppers and add the chicken. Move it about a bit, then add a dab of chilli bean paste and a dash of kecap manis – not too much as you don’t want to darken the colour of the dish. Add a couple of stalks of lemon grass. Season with a little salt and white pepper.
- Add chopped garlic shoots and the cashew nuts. Throw it about a bit for another minute or so. For a saucier dish, you can add half a cup of chicken stock before this step.
- Remove the lemon grass stalks. Turn off the heat and scatter over some roughly-torn basil leaves. Don’t let the basil “cook” as it will go dark and look rubbish.
- Plate up, squeeze over a little of the lime and serve. Optionally drizzle some chilli oil for a bit more fire / colour.