Serves 4 (6 as part of a shared meal)
Caramel Chicken
¼ cup peanut oil
1kg chicken thigh fillets, trimmed and cut into 5cm pieces
1 large red onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated
¼ cup coriander root and stem, finely chopped
⅓ cup palm sugar, finely grated
¼ cup fish sauce
¼ cup lime juice
Steamed jasmine rice, to serve
2 cos lettuce hearts, cut into quarters, to serve
Salad
250g vine tomatoes or medley tomatoes, cut into wedges
75g bean sprouts
½ cup Vietnamese mint leaves
1½ cups coriander leaves
2 medium red chillies, sliced on diagonal
2 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp lime juice
2 tsp palm sugar, shaved
⅓ cup crisp fried shallots
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wok over a high heat. Cook chicken in 3 batches, for 5 minutes, turning once, or until golden. Set aside.
Reduce heat to medium. Add onion, garlic, ginger and coriander to wok. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes.
Add palm sugar. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until caramelised. Stir in fish sauce and return chicken to wok. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 to 7 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Remove from the heat. Stir through lime juice. Transfer to a serving plate.
Meanwhile, to make salad, combine tomatoes, sprouts, herbs and chillies in a large bowl. Toss gently. Spoon over combined fish sauce, lime juice and palm sugar. Garnish with fried shallots.
Serve chicken with salad, lettuce hearts and jasmine rice.