Vietnamese -style Caramel Ginger Chicken

Another recipe torn from a Waitrose Magazine and then left to languish in a folder for over a year. It has finally seen the light of day and was a great success. My only reservation was the mess it left in the bottom of the pan when it caramelised. I have learnt that it is a thin line between caramelised and burnt.

It was tasty and worth the effort to make. It was even worth the washing up.  We halved the recipe and it worked well enough. I'm not a great one for accurate measurements and it isn't easy to halve small quantities so some of the spices were not adjusted proportionately and it tasted great.

Serves: 6; Preparation: 20 mins plus resting; Cooking: 55 mins

Ingredients:

6 chicken legs (I used them whole and didn't bother to joint)

5 Tbsp unrefined light brown soft sugar

4 Tbsp nam pla fish sauce

1/2 tsp black peppercorns, coarsely ground

2 Tbsp vegetable or groundnut oil

100g fresh root ginger, peeled and thickly sliced

1 red onion, finely sliced

8 garlic cloves, finely sliced

1 red chilli, finely sliced

3 salad onions, finely sliced

Method:

• Divide the chicken legs into thighs and drumsticks (please yourself!), trimming off and discarding any excess skin. Toss in a large bowl with a pinch of salt, 1 Tbsp of sugar and 1 Tbsp of fish sauce, set aside. Mix the remaining 4 Tbsp and 3 Tbsp fish sauce with black pepper and a pinch of salt, set aside.
• Heat 1 Tbsp oil in  a very large, wide casserole (or heavy based frying pan) and fry the ginger, red onion and garlic over a medium -high heat, until soft and lightly golden - about 8-10 minutes, remove and set aside on a plate. 
• Heat the remaining  1 Tbsp oil in the pan and add the chicken, skin side down. Cook in batches if needed over a medium - high heat for 4-6 minutes, until the skin is deep brown and caramelised.
• Turn the chicken and repeat, caramelising in on the other side, then return the onion, ginger and garlic to the pan. Pour in the fish sauce and sugar mixture, cover the pan and gently bring to the boil. Uncover and simmer for 25-30 minutes, or until the liquid has reduced to a thick syrup and the chicken is cooked through; add a splash of water if it starts to catch. Cover and rest for 5 minutes, then scatter with the chilli and salad onions. Serve with rice and greens if liked.  (I served it with chilli and garlic roasted broccoli as I can never get enough chilli)