Caramelized Black Pepper Chicken

Courtesy of Food & Wine

Serves 4

½ cup dark brown sugar

About ¼ cup fish sauce (nam pla)

¼ cup water

3 tbsp rice vinegar

1 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp finely grated fresh ginger

1 tsp coarsely ground pepper

2 fresh Thai chiles, halved, or dried red chiles

1 tbsp canola oil

1 shallot, thinly sliced

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces

4 cilantro sprigs

In a small bowl, combine the sugar, fish sauce, water, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, pepper and chiles.

Heat the oil in a large deep skillet. Add the shallot and cook over moderate heat until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the fish sauce mixture and the chicken and simmer over high heat until the chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl, garnish with the cilantro and serve.