Cooking in Southeast Asia typically means incorporating a riot of contrasting flavors and textures, and the basic Vietnamese strategy of simmering meat or fish in darkish, bittersweet caramel is a good instance of this.

As we had been taught by chef Peter Franklin, proprietor of the Anan Saigon restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City, we cook dinner rooster thighs within the sauce till it types a glaze. Mixing the caramel with fish sauce and some aromatics yields wealthy, splendidly complicated savory-sweet flavors. And the approach, which is in our guide “Milk Street Tuesday Nights,” may hardly be easier.

Instead of a standard clay pot, we use a 12-inch skillet to make our model. Using coconut water because the cooking liquid provides a refined, salty-sweet richness that brings much more complexity to the dish.

A beneficiant quantity of ginger, minimize into matchsticks, mellows and softens because it cooks, and provides a brightness that perks up the deeper flavors. Bruising the lemon grass releases its taste and perfume.

Be positive to have the fish sauce measured out in order that when the caramel turns mahogany, it may be added instantly to cease the cooking. Serve the rooster with steamed jasmine rice.

Caramel rooster

Start to complete: 45 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients: 

½ cup plus 1 tablespoon coconut water, divided¼ cup white sugar3 tablespoons fish sauce2 medium shallots, peeled, halved and thinly sliced (½ cup)2-inch piece recent ginger, peeled and minimize into ⅛-inch matchsticks (⅓ cup)2 kilos boneless, skinless rooster thighs, trimmed, minimize into 1½-inch chunks¼ cup chopped recent cilantro leaves and tender stems1 small jalapeño chili, stemmed and sliced into skinny rings1 tablespoon grated lime zest, plus 1 tablespoon lime juiceSteamed rice, to serveLime wedges, to serve

Directions: 

In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high, mix the 1 tablespoon coconut water and the sugar. Bring to a boil and cook dinner, stirring often, till the combination turns golden on the edges, about 3 minutes. Reduce to medium and proceed to cook dinner, swirling the pan however with out stirring, till the caramel is mahogany in shade and smokes flippantly, one other 4 to five minutes.

Off warmth, add the fish sauce and stir; the combination will steam and bubble vigorously. Set the pan over medium, pour within the remaining ½ cup coconut water and stir till totally integrated. Add the shallots and ginger and convey to a simmer, then cowl, cut back to low and cook dinner for five minutes.

Stir within the rooster. Cover and cook dinner over medium, stirring a couple of times, till the rooster is cooked by, 15 to twenty minutes, adjusting the warmth as wanted to keep up a gentle simmer. Uncover, improve to medium-high and simmer vigorously (the sauce will kind giant bubbles), stirring often, till the rooster is glazed and the sauce is syrupy, about 8 minutes.

Off warmth, stir in half of the cilantro, the jalapeño, lime zest and lime juice. Top with the remaining cilantro and serve with steamed rice and lime wedges.

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