Ingredients:
1/2 tablespoonvegetable oil, or any other neutral oil
12 garlic cloves, halved
6 dried red chiles
1 (2-inch piece) ginger, thinly sliced
2 poundschicken (preferably dark meat), cut into large (2- to 3-inch) chunks
3 tablespoonsgranulated sugar
1/4 cuplight soy sauce
1/4 cupShaoxing wine or rice wine
1/4 cupsesame oil
1/8 cupfish sauce
1 tablespoondark soy sauce
20 Thai basil leaves, for garnish
Directions:
Add vegetable oil into a large frying pan and place over medium heat. Add the garlic, dried chiles, and sliced ginger, and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, until fragrant. Then, add in the chunks of chicken and sugar and sauté for 6 to 8 minutes, until the sugar caramelizes and the chicken starts to brown.
Transfer into a clay pot or a large casserole, and add in the light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, fish sauce, and dark soy sauce. Give everything a good stir, cover the pot with a lid and place over medium-low heat, letting it simmer for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through.
When done, remove the lid, stir in the basil, and serve immediately.