Growing up I never really rated this dish because my mother would load it up with so much ginger, and as an 8-year-old, ginger tasted awful! but as I get older, I appreciate the flavours of ginger so much more, and moving abroad has amplified my cravings for Ga Kho Gung, braised ginger chicken, so let’s make it!
This is a classic Vietnamese dish that’s easy to achieve, and all about comfort and flavour. It takes 15 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes of cooking time. Of course, if you like the chicken to become super soft and fall off the bone, you can braise it for longer. If you’re not a fan of bone-in-chicken, you can use chicken thigh without the bone or skin. It is customisable to your liking! Other cuts of chicken include chicken wings, breasts, and legs.
Vietnamese braising is all about getting caramel right, known as “nước màu”. It is essential in Vietnamese cooking, it adds a distinctive depth and richness to many dishes. It’s a key ingredient in many braised and simmered recipes, giving them that signature dark, glossy finish and rich taste. It’s made by slowly heating sugar until it melts and turns a deep amber colour. This caramel sauce isn’t overly sweet; instead, it has a slightly bitter, complex flavor that enhances savoriness.
Braised Ginger Chicken (Ga Kho Gung)
Ingredients
- 1kg chicken thigh, bone + skin on, cubed
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 300ml coconut juice
- Salt & black pepper
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 1/2 tbsp chicken powder
- 50g ginger, thinly sliced into matchsticks
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 shallot, diced
Garnish
- Coriander, spring onion, chilli (Optional)
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken with salt, pepper, fish sauce and chicken powder for at least 30 minutes, the longer the better!Reduce the sauce with the lid off for another 10 minutes on high heat. Garnish with chili and coriander.
- Add sugar and oil to the pan over medium heat, and let it melt slowly and turn into an amber, dark brown colour. This is your caramel, so keep an eye on it as it can burn quickly! note: if you need to stir it, move your pan around.
- Add chicken to the pan and ensure the chicken is coated in the caramel, brown the chicken for about 3-4 minutes.
- Add and stir in shallots, garlic and ginger until fragrant.Add the coconut juice and braise for 40 minutes over low heat with the lid on.
- Reduce the sauce with the lid off for another 10 minutes on high heat. Garnish and serve with steamy hot rice!
