Hand-Chopped Larb Gai with Lemongrass Khao Khua and Crispy Chicken Skin

Method

1. Peel the skin off the thighs and set it aside. Cut the meat into 1 cm strips, then chop it with a heavy knife for 8 min, folding it over on itself as you go, until it is a coarse mince. Hand-chopped chicken keeps more texture and releases less water than shop-bought mince.

   Add in this stepBoneless chicken thighs, skin on 330 g

2. Cut the skin into 1 cm pieces and spread them in a cold, dry 18 cm pan. Cook on medium-low heat for 11 min, turning now and then, until the fat has rendered out and the pieces are golden and crisp like crackers. Lift onto kitchen paper and save 1 teaspoon of the chicken fat. The fat can spit, so keep your face back from the pan.

   medium-low heat

3. In a separate dry 20 cm pan, toast the rice with half the lemongrass (thinly sliced) and half the makrut leaves (torn) on medium-low heat for 7 min, shaking constantly; add the dried chillies for the last minute only. When the rice is a deep toasty brown, let it cool. Pick out the chillies and crush them coarsely, then grind the rest to the texture of sand.

   Add in this stepUncooked sticky (glutinous) rice 2 tbspLemongrass stalk ½Makrut lime leaves 1½Small dried red chillies 3

   medium-low heat

4. Put the stock and the saved teaspoon of chicken fat in a 24 cm pan and bring to a simmer on medium heat. Add the chopped chicken, break it up and cook for 5 min, until no pink remains and only a spoonful or two of liquid is left.

   Add in this stepChicken stock 45 ml

   medium heat

5. Take the pan off the heat and let it cool for 1 min. Add the fish sauce, lime juice and palm sugar and stir until the sugar dissolves. Add the crushed chilli a little at a time to taste.

   Add in this stepFish sauce 1½ tbspFresh lime juice 2 tbspPalm sugar (or light brown sugar) 1 tsp

6. Slice the rest of the lemongrass paper-thin and the remaining makrut leaves into hair-fine threads, and add them with the shallots and spring onions. Stir in the toasted rice powder, then fold in the coriander and mint at the end. Taste for a bright sour, salty and spicy balance and adjust with lime or fish sauce.

   Add in this stepShallots 2Spring onions 2Lemongrass stalk ½Makrut lime leaves 1½Coriander (cilantro) 10 gMint leaves 15 g

7. Pile onto a plate and scatter the crispy chicken skin on top. Serve with the raw beans cut into 5 cm lengths and cabbage wedges for crunch.

   Add in this stepYard-long beans or green beans, raw, to serve 100 gCabbage, to serve 120 g