Magic Crumble
By Gina Caputo
This ground chicken and vegetables dish is one of my all time favorites and is so perplexingly delicious, I can only call it "Magic Crumble". There is something magical about the red-pepper flakes, lime juice and fish sauce combo so I do not recommend substitutions for those. It's crazy quick and always shockingly delicious.
Adapted from a NYT Cooking recipe by Melissa Clark
Ingredients:
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium red or yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced into half moons by hand or on a mandoline
- 1 pound ground chicken (or turkey)
- Salt, to taste
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice (from 2 to 3 limes), more to taste
- 2 Tbsp fish sauce (nam pla), more to taste
- ½ tsp red-pepper flakes
- ½ cup chopped mint leaves, more for topping
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro or cilantro-basil mix, more for topping
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced, dark green parts saved for topping
- 1 pound of either asparagus, green beans or sugar snap peas, trimmed
- 2 Tbsp chopped roasted cashews or peanuts (optional)
- Serve as-is or over brown rice prepared in a rice cooker or on the stove.
Directions:
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil and onion slices to the skillet and cook until soft and browned, from 7 to 10 minutes.
- Add in the ground chicken or turkey, break it up with a spatula or a ground meat chopper and add a pinch of salt. Cook until browned, about 8 minutes.
- While the chicken/turkey is cooking, in a small bowl, combine the fresh lime juice, fish sauce, red-pepper flakes, torn mint leaves, cilantro and scallion whites and light green parts.
- Also while the chicken/turkey is cooking, steam your asparagus or boil your green beans or snap peas until they are al dente, just before cooked to your liking. Cut into bite size sticks as necessary.
- Once chicken/turkey is cooked, pour the sauce into the skillet and add your asparagus, green beans or snap peas. Toss until combined. Cover and let everything meld for about 3 minutes.
- Taste and add more fish sauce, salt or lime juice to your liking. 7. Divide into bowls on top of brown rice if using. Top with chopped, toasted cashews or peanuts, if using, and more torn mint leaves, chopped cilantro and dark green scallion slices.
