Steamed Chicken Cups
Steamed dishes are not common even in Thailand (most Thai dishes are stewed or stir-fried). But this is a lovely, mild, sweet dish I had at an upscale restaurant in Bangkok; I thought it was an innovation, but it turns out to be quite traditional. You can prepare the mixture ahead of time, cover, and refrigerate the ramekins until you are ready to steam them. Serve it with rice and a salad or vegetable dish. To make ground chicken yourself, cut boneless, skinless breasts or thighs into chunks and put them in a food processor; pulse until ground, being careful not to overprocess. You can use turkey or pork in place of the chicken if you like. Information on Thai fish sauce (nam pla) is on page 500.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Put at least 2 inches of water in the bottom of a steamer. Put the garlic, cilantro stems, and pepper into a food processor and process until the garlic is pasty and the cilantro finely minced. By hand, mix with the chicken, pork, sugar, coconut milk, nam pla, and 1 egg.
Step 2
Spoon and press down the mixture into 1/2-cup ceramic ramekins or small heatproof paper cups, like the aluminum-lined ones you might use for cupcakes. Brush the remaining egg on top and place the ramekins in the steamer. Cover and cook until the mixture is firm, 15 to 20 minutes.
Step 3
Remove from the heat and cool slightly. Invert the ramekins onto plates and tap gently to release the steamed chicken. Drizzle with a little coconut milk, garnish with the reserved cilantro leaves, and serve.
