Lemongrass Chicken Stir-Fry

Not your typical stir-fry, one byte of this mouthwatering iconic Khmer dish will make your curious taste buds dance.

Cha Kroeung Saich Moun – Bold with umami, savory with undertones of sourness and tossed with fresh vegetables, this dish guarantees to transcend you to the ancient Angkorian Era (ancient Khmer culture).
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 2
Calories: 230kcal
Author: Chef Channy

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp cooking oil
  • 1 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 3 ounces Angkor Lemongrass Paste
  • 1/2 Tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tsp Angkor Machu Kroeung Spice
  • 1 fruit Fresno Chili pepper* sliced
  • 3 Tbsp water
  • 1/2 tsp cornstarch
  • 2 cups hot basil*
  • 1/4 medium onion sliced

Instructions

Prepare Ingredients:

  • Cut chicken into 1” cubes, then coarsely chop chicken with food processor
  • Slice Fresno chili (cross-section)
  • Mix cornstarch and water
  • Remove stems from kale and cut into bite-size pieces
  • Cut onion length-wide

Cooking:

  • Heat oil on medium-high heat, add chicken and continue cooking until chicken is mostly done.
  • Add Lemongrass Paste, fish sauce, and the Somlaw Machu Spice. Continue cooking, stir until the meat is mostly dehydrated and turns brown with crispy edges.
  • Add Fresno chili, mix well,
  • Turn off the heat and deglaze wok with starch-water
  • Add kale, stir until welted. Add onion and stir.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 230kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 108mg | Sodium: 555mg | Potassium: 361mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 27IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 1mg

Notes

Serve with steamed rice.
* Substitution:
  • Fresno chili is not very spicy.  It can be substituted with any medium spiced chili.  Use red bell pepper if mild flavor is preferred over spicy.
  • Hot basil has unique flavor and aroma, thus it is not easy to substitute. However, the best one that my mother and I used while we were living in Lincoln, NE in early 80’s was oregano. Oregano has similar aroma, but much more intense in flavor and aroma.  Curry leaves are also great option for adding herb to the dish.  Or just add spinach or kale to add some green and good iron to the dish.
    • For oregano, be sure to reduce the amount by at least 50 percent. 
    • For curry leaves, use 1/2 cup of leaves, roasting in hot oil, remove them and set aside prior to adding chicken to the hot oil. Once the cooking is completed, add the roasted leaves at the end mix well, and save some for garnish.
Tried this recipe?Mention @AngkorFood or tag #angkorfood, thank you!

Published by Chef Channy

Chef Channy is a survivor of the Khmer Rouge genocide in Cambodia. Chef was formally trained as an engineer and worked in Aerospace industry building jet fighters, and in Biotech industry building instruments that assist oncologist diagnoses and treats cancer patients. Additionally, Chef published her award winning memoir ShortHairDetention.com; and created a non-profit organization to support educators with teaching about Cambodian Genocide: CambodianGenocideResourceCenter.org. Currently, Chef spends most of her time perfecting Cambodian recipes for her food manufacturing company AngkorFood.com and cooking at her restaurant AngkorChef.com in downtown San Jose.

Leave a Reply