Lemongrass Chicken

http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/lemongrass-chicken-october-2007


Chef Way Eric and Sophie Banh marinate the chicken in a mixture of curry and fish sauce for up to 2 hours before stir-frying.
Easy Way A five-minute marinade allows the curry flavor to develop quickly.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablespoon mild curry powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons plus 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
3 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons canola oil
2 fresh lemongrass stalks, tender inner white bulbs only, minced
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
3 serrano chiles, seeded and minced
5 cilantro sprigs
Steamed rice, for serving

Directions
In a bowl, combine the fish sauce, garlic, curry powder, salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons of the sugar. Add the chicken to coat.
In a small skillet, mix the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar with 1 tablespoon of the water and cook over high heat, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved. Cook without stirring until a deep amber caramel forms, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of water. Transfer to a very small heatproof bowl.
Heat a wok over high heat. Add the oil and heat until shimmering. Add the lemon­grass, shallot and chiles and stir-fry until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the chicken and caramel and stir-fry over moderate heat until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is slightly thickened, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and top with the cilantro. Serve with rice.