The dish is a great balance of flavors, the ginger, garlic, and oyster sauce give the dish a savory flavor while the sugar and fish sauce give it a slightly sweet and salty flavor. It's a great dish for those who love Thai food and chicken. It's a perfect dish to be enjoyed at a family gathering or to be served as a side dish with rice.
Mix together the chicken and light soy sauce in a bowl and set it aside.
In a separate small bowl, combine sugar, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, fermented soy bean paste, oyster sauce, sesame oil, white pepper powder, and water to create the sauce.
Heat oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat.
Stir-fry garlic and red chilies for 30 seconds, then add the marinated chicken and continue to stir-fry until fully cooked, about 5-10 minutes.
Add ginger to the skillet and stir-fry for an additional 2-3 minutes.
Pour the sauce over the chicken and stir-fry until the sauce is evenly distributed, about 2-3 minutes.
Add wood ear mushrooms and onion to the skillet and stir-fry for an additional 3-4 minutes.
Stir-fry spur chilies for 1 minute, then add spring onions and give the dish a final mix.
Serve the Gai Pad King over steamed jasmine rice.
Ingredients
Directions
Mix together the chicken and light soy sauce in a bowl and set it aside.
In a separate small bowl, combine sugar, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, fermented soy bean paste, oyster sauce, sesame oil, white pepper powder, and water to create the sauce.
Heat oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat.
Stir-fry garlic and red chilies for 30 seconds, then add the marinated chicken and continue to stir-fry until fully cooked, about 5-10 minutes.
Add ginger to the skillet and stir-fry for an additional 2-3 minutes.
Pour the sauce over the chicken and stir-fry until the sauce is evenly distributed, about 2-3 minutes.
Add wood ear mushrooms and onion to the skillet and stir-fry for an additional 3-4 minutes.
Stir-fry spur chilies for 1 minute, then add spring onions and give the dish a final mix.
Serve the Gai Pad King over steamed jasmine rice.
Notes
This recipe serves 2 people. The dish is a great balance of flavors, the ginger, garlic, and oyster sauce give the dish a savory flavor while the sugar and fish sauce give it a slightly sweet and salty flavor. Feel free to adjust the amount of oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and fish sauce to your liking.
Main Ingredients and Substitutes
- Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are the main protein in Gai Pad King. If you don’t have chicken, you can substitute it with other proteins like pork, beef, or tofu.
- Ginger: Fresh ginger is used to infuse the dish with its distinct flavor. If you don’t have fresh ginger, you can use ginger powder or ginger paste.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic is used to infuse the dish with its distinct flavor. If you don’t have fresh garlic, you can use garlic powder or garlic paste.
- Mushrooms: Mushrooms like wood ear mushrooms or shiitake are used to give the dish its unique texture and flavor. If you don’t have mushrooms, you can use other vegetables like bell peppers, carrots, or green beans.
- Oyster Sauce: The oyster sauce is used to give the dish its savory and slightly sweet flavor. If you don’t have oyster sauce, you can use soy sauce or hoisin sauce.
- Soy Sauce: Soy sauce is used to give the dish its salty flavor. If you don’t have soy sauce, you can use tamari or liquid aminos.
- Sugar: Sugar is used to give the dish its slightly sweet flavor. If you don’t have sugar, you can use honey, maple syrup, or agave nectar.
- Fish Sauce: Fish sauce is used to give the dish its salty and umami flavor. If you don’t have fish sauce, you can use soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce.
- Black Pepper: Black pepper is used to give the dish its slight spicy flavor. If you don’t have black pepper, you can use other spices like cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes.
Tips
- Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs: Chicken thighs are juicier and more flavorful than chicken breast and they hold up well in stir-fry dishes.
- Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces: Cut the chicken into small bite-size pieces so that they cook quickly and evenly.
- Use fresh ginger and garlic: Fresh ginger and garlic have a stronger flavor than dried and they help to infuse the dish with their distinct flavors.
- Use a wok or large skillet: A wok or large skillet is perfect for stir-frying as it allows you to cook the ingredients quickly over high heat.
- Cook the ingredients in small batches: Avoid overcrowding the pan, cook the ingredients in small batches so that they cook evenly and quickly.
- Adjust the seasoning to your taste: You can adjust the seasoning to your taste, you can add more or less of any of the ingredients to make it more or less salty, sweet, or spicy.
- Serve it hot: Gai Pad King is best served hot, as soon as it’s finished cooking, it can be served as a side dish or a main dish with rice.
- Garnish with fresh herbs: You can garnish Gai Pad King with fresh herbs for added flavor and color.
- Experiment with different mushrooms: You can experiment with different mushrooms like portobello or enoki, it will add a different texture and flavor to the dish.
- Experiment with different veggies: You can experiment with different vegetables like bell peppers, and so on, it will add more flavor and texture to the dish.
FAQs
Q: What is Gai Pad King?
A: Gai Pad King, a popular Thai dish, features chicken, ginger, and mushrooms, renowned for its savory, subtly sweet, and mildly spicy flavor.
Q: What are the main ingredients in Gai Pad King?
A: The main ingredients in Gai Pad King are chicken, ginger, garlic, mushrooms, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and fish sauce.
Q: What kind of chicken should I use for this recipe?
A: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are the best choice for Gai Pad King as they are juicier and more flavorful than chicken breast and they hold up well in stir-fry dishes.
Q: Can I use other vegetables instead of mushrooms?
A: Yes, you can use other vegetables like bell peppers, green beans, and so on, it will add more flavor and texture to the dish.
Q: Can I make this dish in advance?
A: Serve Gai Pad King hot, ideally right after finishing cooking; however, you can make the dish in advance and reheat it just before serving.
Q: What can I serve Gai Pad King with?
A: Typically, serve Gai Pad King with steamed jasmine rice, and it pairs perfectly with a cold beer.
Q: Is Gai Pad King gluten-free?
A: Gai Pad King is typically not gluten-free as it contains soy sauce which contains gluten. However, you can use gluten-free soy sauce to make this dish gluten-free.
Q: Is Gai Pad King spicy?
A: The dish typically has a slight spicy flavor, but you can adjust the level of spiciness to your taste.
Q: Is it possible to freeze Gai Pad King?
A: Yes, you can freeze Gai Pad King for up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw the dish in the refrigerator overnight and then reheat in a skillet or wok over medium heat.
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