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Mok Gai (ໝົກໄກ່) – Steamed Chicken in Banana Leaf
In Laos, mok means anything you wrap in banana leaves and steam. For Mok Gai, you mix chicken thighs with a paste of lemongrass, shallots and chili, plus dill, makrut lime leaves and padaek. The egg holds the filling together. Inside the packet, the meat cooks in its own juices and picks up the green aroma of the leaves. You eat Mok Gai with sticky rice, ideally next to a spicy chili dip.
Mok Gai (ໝົກໄກ່) – Steamed Chicken in Banana Leaf
Laura Chen
4
30 minutes
30 minutes
220
Lao
Main course
Mok Gai is Lao chicken that you steam in banana leaf with lemongrass, dill, padaek and makrut lime leaves. Unlike Thai hor mok, it contains neither coconut milk nor curry paste. Compared with Mok Pa made with fish, the chicken stays firmer and juicier.
Ingredients
- 600 g skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 2 cm pieces
- 2 stalks lemongrass, pale part only, finely chopped
- 3 shallots, roughly chopped
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 red chilies
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp padaek (Lao fermented fish sauce with pieces of fish)
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 egg
- 4 makrut lime leaves (aromatic leaves of the makrut lime), cut into fine strips
- 20 g dill, roughly chopped
- 3 scallions, cut into rings
- 4 banana leaves, each about 30 x 30 cm
- 8 toothpicks
Instructions
- Wipe the banana leaves with a damp cloth. Pass them briefly over a gas flame or dip them in hot water for 10 seconds, until they turn glossy and can be folded without tearing.
- Pound the lemongrass, shallots, garlic and chilies in a mortar for about 3 minutes into a coarse paste.
- Mix the paste with the chicken, fish sauce, padaek and sugar. Let sit for 15 minutes.
- Stir in the egg, makrut lime leaves, dill and scallions until the mixture binds lightly.
- Divide the mixture among the four leaves. Fold the long sides over the filling, fold the ends under and fasten each packet with two toothpicks.
- Steam the packets in a steamer basket over boiling water for 25 to 30 minutes. Check the thickest piece to make sure the meat is cooked through.
- Open the packets at the table and eat the chicken hot with sticky rice and a chili dip.
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