i changed the method from the book by Terry Tan and Christopher Tan because i used "variety pack" chicken--all dark meat of course--instead of the skinless boneless thighs called for.
spicy-sour stir fried chicken
ayam tempra, or spicy-sour stir-fried chicken
3 thighs, 3 legs, 3 wings (about a pound and a half) of chicken
marinade:
3 cloves of garlic sliced
1 stalk lemongrass, trimmed cut diagonally, pounded
1 tsp. shrimp paste (blachan)
3 tablespoons ketjap manis (thick soy sauce), or dark soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons water
1 1/2 tablespoon crushed palm sugar
in a mortar and pestle mix and mash all marinade ingredients and pour over chicken. let sit at least an hour. (reserve marinade for the stir fry.)
heat 2 tbsps. vegetable oil over medium high heat. saute 2 cloves of garlic, 1 large onion, halved lengthwise and quartered, 1 trimmed stalk lemongrass, cut diagonally & pounded, 1 sliced long green chili pepper, and 1 sliced bird chili, until fragrant.
add chicken pieces and stir fry until chicken is well browned. pour in the marinade and 1/2 cup chicken broth. stir continuously, adding more broth or water a little at a time if it gets too dry. you should have enough to coat the chicken well...it makes for luscious finger licking too. cook until chicken is tender, about 25 minutes.
pour in 3 tbsps. fresh lime juice and sliced Kaffir lime leaves (middle rib cut, leaves snipped finely) and salt to taste. stir well and remove from heat.
serve with plenty of hot jasmine rice. and lots of table napkins.
(if using boneless chicken thighs or breast meat, cooking time is cut drastically and you may not need the broth-water step.)
