VIETNAMESE GA KHO - CARAMELIZED GINGER CHICKEN

INGREDIENTS: SERVES 4 - 6

●  2½ lbs chicken thigh/leg (skinless, either bone in or deboned. **SEE COOK'S NOTES**
●  ¾ cup brown sugar
●  ⅓ cup fish sauce
●  ⅓ cup rice vinegar
●  ⅓ cup water
●  5 cloves of minced garlic
●  3 tablespoon(s) grated/finely minced ginger
●  2 shallots minced
●  2 tablespoon(s) fish sauce for marinade
●  1 tablespoon(s) brown sugar for marinade
●  2 Thai chilis thinly sliced
●  2 green onions, sliced about ½ inch 
●  fresh cracked pepper
●  toasted sesame seeds,  either white or black
●  2 tbs cooking oil,  preferably peanut oil

DIRECTIONS: 

1.  Marinate the chicken with 2 tablespoon(s) of the fish sauce and 1 tablespoon(s) of brown sugar for
     about ½ hr. In the meantime in a small bowl make the sauce by combining ¾ cup brown sugar, ⅓ cup
     water, rice vinegar, and fish sauce and mix until dissolve. Add the ginger, shallots, and garlic and set
     aside.

2.  Heat a large pan on high with cooking oil and add the chicken with the flat surface of thigh facing down.
     Allow to sear without touching them for a minute or so and then pour in about ¼ of the sauce. Try not
     to move around the chicken as you want the chicken to sear and caramelize. The sauce will start to
     thicken and the chicken will brown after a few minutes. Check to see if it's nicely caramelized, then turn
     the pieces of chicken over and pour in the rest of the sauce. 

3.  Continue to cook until sauce is reduced to nice thick consistency and just as you turn off the heat, toss
     in the chiles and green onions. Transfer to serving platter and generously top with roasted sesame and
     fresh cracked pepper.

4.  Serve over rice.

**COOK'S NOTES** 
1. Not only should you use leg and thigh meat from the chicken,  I would suggest you leave the bone in as
well to preserve moisture during the cooking process.