Stir-Fried Chicken with Lemongrass Recipe

Lemongrass: cut the stalks into thin slices and use only the white part, which is the most tender. Kaffir lime leaves: tear the leaves with your fingers and remove the central stem. Do not chop the leaves; they are used as is. Mild chili: cut it in half lengthwise to remove the seeds, then chop it into pieces. Peel the garlic and shallots.

In a mortar, grind the peppercorns into powder. Add the garlic and shallots and crush them roughly. Add half of the lemongrass, the chili, and the turmeric, and reduce everything to a coarse paste.

In a wok or skillet, heat a bit of oil. Sauté the aromatic paste until it is fragrant (2-3 minutes) while stirring constantly.

Add the chicken and brown it. Once the chicken has changed color, add the oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, and sugar. Let it simmer, stirring regularly. Add a bit of water during cooking if necessary, but not too much to avoid diluting the flavors of the sauce.

To finish, when the chicken is cooked, add the remaining lemongrass and the kaffir lime leaves, mix well, let it cook for a minute, and turn off the heat. Then add the lime juice and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Serve immediately with fragrant rice.