Honey ginger chicken

Ingredients

8 chicken thighs
2 thumb-sized pieces of ginger, peeled and grated
2 chili peppers, finely chopped
1/4 c. of patis (fish sauce)
1/3 c. of kalamansi (or lemon) juice
1/2 c. of honey
onion leaves and 1/2 red bell pepper, both thinly sliced, for garnish

In a wok, boil a cup of water. When the water is boiling, arrange the chicken thighs in a single layer (adding the chicken to already boiling water minimizes the formation of scum). Add the ginger and chili peppers. Pour in the patis. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, the liquid would have reduced considerably. Pour in the kalamansi (or lemon) juice and the honey. Cook over high heat, uncovered, turning the chicken thighs often until the sauce browns and thickens. Watch the chicken carefully at this stage — the fast-thickening sauce burns fast because of the honey. When the liquid has evaporated and all there is left is a thick caramelized sticky sauce coating the chicken, lift the chicken pieces one by one and transfer to a serving platter, making sure that the fibrous grated ginger stays in the wok. You don’t it need anymore — all the ginger-y flavors are already in the chicken.

Garnish with thin strips of onion leaves and red bell pepper. Serve hot with rice.