Evil Jungle Prince with Chicken
adapted from Keo’s Thai Cuisine (1986)

Makes 3-4 servings

Ingredients:
1/2 – 1 pound boneless chicken breast
3/4 c. to 1-1/2 c. coconut milk [buy a 15 oz. can]
2 to 6 small red chili peppers
1/2 stalk fresh lemon grass
2 kaffir lime leaves
10 to 15 sweet basil leaves
1 to 4 T. fish sauce
2-3 T. oil

Thai Sweet Sticky Rice [Look for it in an Asian Grocery. You can substitute regular rice or a bed of chopped cabbage, but the sauce this dish makes is simply delicious with sweet sticky rice.] Your rice should be all cooked and ready to eat before you start cooking the chicken.

Directions:

Cut chicken into thin strips. Pour about 1/3 c. coconut milk over the chicken and allow it to marinate while you get everything else ready.

Grind together red chili peppers, lemon grass and kaffir lime leaves in a food processor or mini-chopper until the lemon grass is in fine strands. [It helps to chop the lemon grass into 1 inch lengths before processing.]

Clean and dry the basil leaves.

Heat oil to medium-high and saute the pepper/lemon grass/lime leaves mixture for 2 minutes. You want it to soften and release its flavors, but not burn or brown too much. Add about 1/4 c. coconut milk and stir to blend, about 1 minute.

Add chicken in its coconut milk marinade. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add in a bit more coconut milk (if desired). Stir in fish sauce and basil leaves. Serve over Thai Sweet Sticky Rice.

Copyright © 2008, Lucinda DeWitt