My journey to discover different cuisines began in the early 80s. I became interested in Chinese, Thai and Indian food, but I had no idea where to start learning about these cuisines, which at that time we’re still quite obscure. Certainly there were Chinese and Indian restaurants, but Thai restaurants were a bit more few and far between.
A friend recommended this cookbook and this is where my journey to cook authentic Thai began. For me, Jennifer Brennan was my first Thai cooking teacher—even though we never met. Her book opened an entirely new world of flavors and techniques that I’ve been exploring ever since.
Long before I ever traveled to Thailand, I bought a worn paperback called The Original Thai Cookbook by Jennifer Brennan. It was the early 1980s, and authentic Thai ingredients were almost impossible to find in most American grocery stores. That book became my window into an entirely different way of cooking. Decades later, after countless trips to Thailand and many meals from street vendors and local restaurants, I still have that same well-worn copy. It’s one of the books that started it all.
I cooked this Ginger Chicken at least once a week for years. It’s excellent and has all the balance of flavors that Thai food is known for.
Here’s a great resource for your Chinese and Thai pantry, Essential Ingredients for Authentic Chinese and Thai Cooking
Want to try another Thai classic, Thai Chicken with Basil/ Gai Pad Prik Grapao- Top Thai Dish
And, the extra spicy street food dish, Gai Pad Prik – Thai Chicken with Chilies
Looking for a Thai salad, Gai Larb- The Classic Thai Chicken Salad
Interested in exploring Thai curries, Exploring Thai Curries: Where Do I Start?
Ready to explore beyond Thailand? Try my Vietnamese Shaking Beef, inspired by San Francisco’s celebrated Slanted Door. Vietnamese Shaking Beef inspired by The Slanted Door
Check out my favorite recipes I cook on rotation, My Favorite Recipes
Thai Ginger Chicken- Gai Pad King
Ingredients:
1 lb Chicken Thighs, boneless, skinless, cut into bite size chunks.
3 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 Onion, thinly sliced, in half and then sliced
5 cloves Garlic, chopped
2 Tbsp Light Soy Sauce
2 Tbsp Ginger, finely chopped
2 sprigs Mint Leaves, separated from stem.
8 dried Chinese Mushrooms, soaked in hot water, stemmed and sliced. You can substitute fresh Shiitake mushrooms too.
5 Green Onions, cut into 1″ long pieces
2 fresh red Thai Chillies, seeded and slivered.
2 Tbsp Chinese Rice Vinegar
1 tsp Sugar
2 Tbsp Fish Sauce (Nam Pla)
Preparation:
Heat the oil in a wok and fry the onions until limp. Add the garlic and stir fry for about a minute.
Add the chicken and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Then add the soy sauce, ginger, mushrooms, mint, green onions, and chillies
After a few minutes, when the chicken is just cooked, quickly season with rice vinegar, sugar and fish sauce and remove from heat and serve.
Decorate with a few additional mint leaves and serve with Jasmine rice.
Note: I like to mix up the rice vinegar, sugar, and fish sauce, so that it’s ready to add at the end.
This article is part of The Pasadena Chef Cooking School. Explore more cooking lessons, techniques, and ingredient guides here. The Pasadena Chef Cooking School
Thai Ginger Chicken- Gai Pad King
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Heat the oil in a wok and fry the onions until limp. Add the garlic and stir fry for about a minute.
- Add the chicken and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Then add the soy sauce, ginger, mushrooms, mint, green onions, and chillies
- After a few minutes, when the chicken is just cooked, quickly season with rice vinegar, sugar and fish sauce and remove from heat and serve.
- Decorate with a few additional mint leaves and serve with Jasmine rice.
