FOODlog #227: Lemongrass & Tamarind Chicken Soup

Some weeks ago I cooked one of my Mum's signature dishes for the staff at the cafe. It uses pork but I used chicken instead. I swapped the protein but every other ingredient I used what the dish uses.

This dish is a stew that uses aromatics like lemongrass, garlic, dried chili, and dried tamarind slices. For the marinade of the chicken, it uses soy sauce, oyster sauce, and dark soy sauce. Marinade it for an hour or so or if you have time, prepare this the night before so the chicken has time to marinade longer which will ensure the dish to be extremely flavorful.

I first start with some oil in the pot and stir fry the aromatics together. After they are fragrant which should take no more than 5 minutes, add in the chicken and cook till they are browned.

Next, add in water to cover the chicken and let it simmer away. Add salt to taste and also more soy sauce and oyster sauce for more flavor if the stew is lacking.

After about 15-20 minutes simmering, the stew is done and ready to be served. We ate the stew with rice. It had the same flavor profile as the one my Mum makes and was a successful attempt. Super delicious and will definitely make it again.

I also stir fried some kale with Portobello mushroom stems. It's marinated and cooked with garlic and Korean chili flakes. Some added greens to make it a well rounded balanced meal. Yums! ~~