A simple stir-fry, one made with a great deal of ginger and typical Thai seasonings. It makes a great weeknight meal; serve it with jasmine or sticky rice. Information on Thai fish sauce (nam pla) is on page 500.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　2 small fresh or dried chiles, preferably Thai

　　2 tablespoons corn, grapeseed, or other neutral oil

　　3 shallots or 1 medium onion, sliced

　　2 tablespoons minced garlic

　　One 3-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks or minced

　　1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1/2- to 3/4-inch chunks

　　3 fresh or reconstituted (page 112) dried shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded, sliced

　　2 scallions, trimmed and chopped

　　2 tablespoons soy sauce

　　2 tablespoons nam pla

　　2 teaspoons sugar

　　Fresh lime juice to taste

　　Salt and black pepper to taste

　　

Step 1

If you have fresh chiles, stem, seed, and chop them; if dried, soak in warm water for a few minutes until softened, then remove the stems and seeds and chop them. Heat a wok or large deep skillet over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the oil, swirl it around, and add the shallots. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic, about two thirds of the ginger, and the chiles and cook, stirring, for 15 seconds.

　　

Step 2

Add the chicken and raise the heat to high. Stir the chicken once, then let it sit for a minute before stirring again. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken has lost its pinkness, 3 to 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium.

　　

Step 3

Add the mushrooms and scallions and cook, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes. Stir in the soy sauce, nam pla, and sugar and cook until the sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes more. Add a couple of tablespoons of lime juice, a bit of salt if necessary, and a lot of black pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then garnish with the reserved ginger and serve.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.