Thai cuisine · Soups & Stews

Gaeng Om Gai

An Isaan herb stew with chicken, plenty of dill and toasted rice powder that gives the fragrant broth a light body.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 700g boneless chicken thigh
• 3 stalks lemongrass
• 5 shallots
• 4 garlic cloves
• 4 red chillies
• 1 litre chicken stock
• 300g Hokkaido pumpkin
• 150g green beans
• 2 tbsp jasmine rice (raw, for toasted rice powder)
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 bunch dill
• 4 spring onions

Instructions

1. Toast the raw jasmine rice in a dry pan until golden and grind it finely in a mortar; cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
2. Pound the tender lower parts of the lemongrass with the shallots, garlic and chillies in a mortar into a coarse paste.
3. Heat the paste in a pot with 2 tbsp stock until fragrant, then add the chicken and fry, stirring, for 3 minutes.
4. Pour in the rest of the stock, cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes until the meat is tender.
5. Cut the pumpkin into cubes and the beans into pieces, add them and cook for another 10 minutes until the pumpkin is soft but not falling apart.
6. Season with the fish sauce, stir in the toasted rice powder, roughly cut dill and spring onion rings, and serve immediately – the dill should come through fresh and strong.