Basic Lemongrass Marinade Recipes

VIETNAMESE NOODLES WITH LEMONGRASS CHICKEN

Steps:

• Combine Chicken and Marinade ingredients and set aside for at least 1 hour, up to 24 hours. (Note 4)
• Heat 1/2 tbsp oil in a fry pan over medium heat (or heat the BBQ). Remove chicken from marinade, shaking off large bits of lemongrass (small bits should fall off during cooking).
• Place chicken in the pan and cook each side until dark golden brown and chicken is just cooked through - about 6 to 8 minutes in total.
• Remove from pan, shaking off any remaining bits of visible lemongrass and set aside to rest for 5 minutes. Then slice into thin pieces.
• Combine the Nuoc Cham ingredients and mix well to dissolve the sugar. Adjust to your taste (spiciness, lime, sweetness) and set aside for at least 20 minutes.
• Soak the vermicelli noodles in hot water for 3 minutes (or according to packet instructions), then drain and rinse under cold water to stop the noodles from sticking together.
• Individual servings: Place noodles in bowl. Top with vegetables and herbs, and sliced chicken pieces. Drizzle with a few tablespoons of Nuoc Cham Sauce (be generous, ~ 4 tbsp per serving) and serve with lime wedges.
• DIY (my preferred way): Place chicken, vegetables, herbs, noodles and sauce in separate bowls / piled on platters. Then let everyone make their own bowls!

VIETNAMESE LEMONGRASS CHICKEN

Steps:

• Combine the lime juice, fish sauce, maple syrup, oil, soy sauce, black pepper, garlic, lemongrass and shallot in a blender or food processor. Puree until smooth.
• Combine the chicken and marinade in a large bowl. Toss until the chicken is evenly coated. Cover the bowl and let the chicken marinate for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. (If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 15 minutes before using.) Thread the chicken evenly onto the skewers.
• Once the grill is hot, place the chicken kabobs evenly on the grill. Cook for 10-14 minutes, turning once halfway through, until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through (no longer pink on the inside).
• Transfer the kabobs to a clean plate, and loosely tent with aluminum foil. Let the chicken rest for at least 5-10 minutes.
• Then serve warm while the chicken is hot and juicy, sprinkled with an extra squeeze of fresh lime juice (plus some thinly-sliced green onions) if desired. Or, refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

VIETNAMESE GRILLED LEMONGRASS CHICKEN

Steps:

• Mix canola oil, lemongrass, lemon juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, and fish sauce together in a mixing bowl until the sugar is dissolved; add chicken and turn to coat in the marinade.
• Marinate chicken in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to 1 hour.
• Preheat grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Remove chicken thighs from the marinade and shake to remove excess marinade. Discard the remaining marinade.
• Grill chicken until no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, 3 to 5 minutes per side. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

LEMONGRASS CHICKEN

Steps:

• slice chicken into bite size pieces. combine with the fish sauce, sugar, 3/4 lemongrass, 1/2 chilli and 1 chopped garlic clove. Marinate for 2 hours (ideally marinated overnight, or if in a rush give it as much time in the marinate as possible). I've marinated for 10min and its fine.
• In a large saucepan on medium heat, add the oil, remaining 3/4 lemongrass, 1/2 chilli, 2 chopped garlic cloves. Fry just until garlic starts to brown.
• Then add the chicken and add the onions and fry for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring occassionally.
• Add the chicken stock and stir for 1min. Reduce the heat slightly and cook for a further 4 min or until the liquid has reduced slightly.
• Put it into a bowl and garnish with coriander leaves, bit of cracked pepper, fried onions or spring onions. To serve with boiled jasmine rice.
• TIP: if the ingredients start to become dry in the pan at any stage, add water (or some of the chicken stock) to stop it from burning.
• You can also find the fried onions at oriental stores, they are a great garnish on pretty much any vietnamese dish!

LEMONGRASS GINGER SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until hot, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the shallots and lemongrass and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, stirring well.
• Add the wine, the grated or finely chopped ginger and a little salt, then turn the heat up to high. Boil off the wine by half, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat, add the lemon juice, one tablespoon of celery leaves, and taste for salt-add some if you need it.
• Pour the sauce into a food processor and blitz it until it becomes a thick puree; it should look a bit like a light green mayo, as everything will emulsify.

GRILLED PORK CHOPS WITH SWEET LEMONGRASS MARINADE

Steps:

• 1. In a bowl, combine the sugar, fish sauce, lemongrass, garlic, shallot, chile, and black pepper and whisk until the sugar dissolves. Arrange the pork chops in a rimmed dish in a single layer. Pour the marinade over, cover with plastic wrap, and let marinate at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours. (The pork can also be refrigerated overnight. Bring meat to room temperature before grilling).
• 2. Prepare a hot fire in a charcoal grill (you should be able to hold your hand 1 to 2 inches above the grate for only 2 to 3 seconds). When the coals are ready, push two-thirds of the coals to one-half of the grill, creating a hot zone; spread the remaining one-third on the opposite side of the grill to create a cooler zone.
• 3. Remove the pork chops from the marinade and discard the marinade. Place the chops on the hottest part of the grill. Let cook for 1 minute, then flip and cook for 1 minute on the second side.
• 4. Move the chops to the cooler side of the grill and cook, turning once, for about 10 minutes total, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chop registers 140°F, raking over coals from the hotter side of the grill if necessary to maintain an even temperature. Spritz any flare-ups with a spray bottle filled with water.
• 5. Transfer the chops to a large plate, tent with aluminum foil, and let stand for 10 minutes. Cut the meat from the bone and slice the meat across the grain on the diagonal. Transfer the slices and bones to a serving platter and serve.

BASIC LEMONGRASS MARINADE

Steps:

• Process lemon grass, garlic and chili sauce until it turns into a fine paste.
• Combine paste and all other ingredients and mix well.
• Marinade is ready to use after sitting for about 1 minutes.
• Recipe yields enough marinade for 1-2 pounds of meat.
• You can save the tops of the lemon grass to season soups and stocks or you can steep it with your tea to make lemon tea.
• Simply put in zip-lock bag and freeze until needed.

LEMONGRASS GRILLED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Place chicken thighs and marinade in a large ziploc bag.
• Close the ziploc bag and massage the marinade around the chicken.
• Place in the fridge for 2 hours.
• When ready to grill, heat an outdoor grill to medium-high.
• Remove chicken from bag and discard ziploc bag and marinade.
• Transfer chicken to grill and cook for about 4 minutes per side, or until golden brown.
• Remove from grill and let rest about 5 minutes.
• Garnish with chilies and cilantro.
• Serve with lime wedges.
• If cooking on a grill pan, heat 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil in a grill pan over medium-high heat. Cook chicken thighs for about 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until golden brown.

LEMONGRASS MARINADE

Steps:

• Add lemongrass, ginger, garlic, and shallots through feed tube of a food processor with motor running. Process until very finely chopped. Add sugar, mirin, and fish sauce; process until pureed, scraping sides as needed. With motor running, slowly add oil; process until incorporated.