Ginger Chicken

Name: Ginger Chicken
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: 2 2/3 cups Chicken breast, thinly sliced cut across the grain; 1 1/3 cups Fresh ginger peeled and cut into thin julienne; 5.3 oz Cloud ear fungus root trimmed, torn into 2-inch pieces; 5 Green onions, whole some cut into 1-inch pieces, some left whole for garnish; 3 Thai long chili sliced diagonally; 5 Garlic, large cloves finely chopped; 2 3/4 tablespoons Oyster sauce; 2 3/4 teaspoons Light soy sauce; 1 1/3 teaspoons Palm sugar; 2/3 teaspoon Black pepper, ground coarsely ground; 1 1/3 tablespoons Vegetable oil

Gai Pad Khing

Thin-sliced chicken stir-fried with plenty of fresh ginger, cloud ear fungus, and black pepper

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 10 min
Serves: 4
Heat: mild

This dish carries an obvious Chinese influence in its name and technique, but the seasoning gives it a distinctly Thai character. Wafer-thin chicken breast cooks fast in garlicky oil before a black pepper and oyster sauce mixture turns it glossy and sticky. Chewy cloud ear fungus and a generous amount of julienned fresh ginger go in near the end, added late enough that the ginger keeps its sharp, fresh bite rather than mellowing into the sauce, with just a little Thai long chili for background warmth.

Ingredients

2 2/3 cups Chicken breast, thinly sliced (cut across the grain)
1 1/3 cups Fresh ginger (peeled and cut into thin julienne)
5.3 oz Cloud ear fungus (root trimmed, torn into 2-inch pieces)
5 Green onions, whole (some cut into 1-inch pieces, some left whole for garnish)
3 Thai long chili (sliced diagonally)
5 Garlic, large cloves (finely chopped)
2 3/4 tablespoons Oyster sauce
2 3/4 teaspoons Light soy sauce
1 1/3 teaspoons Palm sugar
2/3 teaspoon Black pepper, ground (coarsely ground)
1 1/3 tablespoons Vegetable oil

Directions

Trim the root from the cloud ear fungus and tear into pieces about 2 inches long. Julienne the ginger. Cut most of the green onion into 1-inch pieces, saving a couple whole for garnish. Slice the chili diagonally, slice the chicken thin, and chop the garlic.
Warm the oil in a wok over low heat. Add the garlic and fry slowly for about 30 seconds, until fragrant.
Add the chicken, raise the heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes.
When the chicken is nearly done, add the oyster sauce, soy sauce, palm sugar, and black pepper. Stir well until hot and sticky, then add a splash of water to build a thick sauce. Cook for about 2 more minutes.
Add the cloud ear fungus and stir in well. Cook for about 2 more minutes.
Add the ginger, chopped green onion, and chili. Toss well and fry for about a minute, until everything is hot through.
Turn off the heat and serve right away, arranged on a plate and garnished with the reserved whole green onion.

Notes

Julienne the ginger thin rather than mincing it — thin slivers soften just enough in the short cooking time while still giving a distinct bite, whereas minced ginger tends to disappear into the sauce.

Substitutions

Pork can be used instead of chicken breast. Shiitake mushrooms, sliced, work in place of cloud ear fungus if it's unavailable.