Thai Ginger Chicken - Pad Gai King

I used to eat at regularly at an excellent Thai restaurant in Springfield, MO, called Bangkok City. It's on Walnut Street near the University. The woman who owns the place is a perfectionist who insists on "correct ingredients". I developed a taste there for Pad Gai King which has not been satisfied since leaving MO.

SO I futzed around for awhile trying to figure out how to make the stuff for myself, and every recipe I tried just didn't taste right. The problem, I decided, was the oyster sauce used in nearly every recipe, giving it a kind of slick and almost slimy texture. Also, the thickish sauce that you end up with was nothing like the flavorful liquid that I remembered being a part of this dish. So finally I gave up and made up my own recipe, and while it doesn't taste exactly like the Pad Gai King at Bangkok City, it's really pretty good (even if I do say so myself).

Thai Ginger Chicken

2 T soy sauce
2 T fish sauce
1 T rice vinegar
2 T saki
1 - 2 T Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce
1/2 tsp sugar

4 - 6 green onions
1 bell pepper
1 carrot
1/4 c fresh ginger root, slivered

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken
3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced or crushed

2-3 T coarsely chopped Cilantro (for garnish)
fresh Lime (for garnish)

Have all ingredients ready to go before you turn on the stove.

Mix the sugar, saki, soy sauce, fish sauce, chili sauce, and rice vinegar together in a bowl and set aside.

Peel the ginger and cut into matchstick sized pieces.

Cut the carrot into slivers (about TWO matchsticks thick).

Cut the bell pepper diagonally into strips.

Cut the chicken into thin slices.

Chop the green onions. Chop the white bulb ends into smallish pieces and the green tops about 1 to 2" long. Reserve the green top portions for garnish at the end.

Coarsely chop some cilantro (about 3 to 4 T) for garnish.

Heat 2-3 T oil in a large fry pan or wok. Turn to a high heat.

When the oil is hot, add the chicken and garlic and stir fry until the chicken is nearly done. Quickly add the sauce. Heat 'til the sauce is bubbling. Add the onions and the ginger. Stir together for a minute or two, then add the rest of the ingredients except for the garnish. Stir fry for a couple of minutes, until done. The veggies should still be crispy but not raw. Quickly remove from the heat and garnish with the cilantro and onion greens. Serve over rice with a wedge of lime on the side.

Yum! Even if I do say so myself!

The first time I made this, I used 1/2 c ginger. I've cut it back to 1/4 c because, as much as I like ginger, 1/2 c was just a bit much. Adjust the amount of ginger to your taste!