Chicken with Lemon Grass Recipe

If you cannot get fresh lemon grass, this is one recipe where dried lemon grass will not do. Instead, use the finely peeled rind of a large lemon to get a close approximation of the original recipe. Ingredients : Serves 4-6

1 small Roasting chicken (about 1kg) 3 or 4 stalks Lemon grass or rind of 1 large lemon 3 Spring onions 1 teaspoon Salt 1/4 teaspoon Ground black pepper 2 tablespoons Oil 2 Fresh red chilies, seeded and chopped 2 teaspoons Sugar 1/2 cup Roasted peanuts, finely chopped 2 tablespoons Fish sauce Extra black pepper to taste

Method : Cut chicken into small serving pieces, chopping through the bones with a sharp cleaver. Remove outer leaves of the lemon grass and finely slice the tender white part at the base of the stalks. Bruise with mortar and pestle or handle of cleaver. Finely slice the spring onions, including the green leaves. Mix the chicken with the salt, pepper, lemon grass and spring onions, and set aside for 30 minutes. If lemon rind is used instead of lemon grass, shred the thinly peeled rind very finely with a sharp knife. Heat a wok, add oil and when oil is hot add the chicken mixture and stir fry for 3 minutes. Add chilies and stir fry on medium heat for a further 10 minutes or until chicken no longer looks pink. Season with sugar and pepper and add peanuts. Stir well. Add fish sauce and toss to distribute evenly. Then serve with rice or noodles.