Small Name, Big Flavor from Nit Noi Provisions' Chicken Recipe via Westport Farmers' Market

In Thai, “nit noi” is defined as small or tiny. But there is nothing small about the flavor of Nit Noi Provision’s food. Founded by Jill and North Shutsharawan, Nit Noi Provisions of Westport delivers enormous flavor in every dish and seasoning crafted by this relative newcomer on the food scene. From Thai noodle soups, to broths and condiments, Nit Noi uses fresh, local, and sustainably sourced ingredients that explode with exotic yet accessible flavor. A weekly vendor at the Westport Farmers’ Market, Nit Noi proffered samples of its popular KMG dish at a recent happy hour at Patagonia. They share their recipe below.  

Khao Mun Gai

In the chef’s words: “KMG is a very popular and common Thai street food. It's relatively straightforward to make but requires several steps, which we hope we've outlined clearly below.”

For the chicken

Ingredients: 

• One whole chicken (we source all of our chicken from Fleishers’) 
• 3 approximately 2-3 inch chunks of fresh ginger
• 1 whole head of garlic with skin, sliced or smashed
• 4 cilantro stems with roots 

Directions: 

1. Place smashed head of garlic, cilantro stems and chunks of fresh ginger in a large pot (or wok with cover) and cover with water, bring to a rolling boil
2. Add the whole chicken and cook for 20 minutes
3. Reduce temperature to medium heat and simmer for another 20 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked 
4. Remove chicken from wok to cool and reserve cooking water

 For the rice: 

Ingredients: 

• 2 cups white Jasmine rice
• 3 cups of reserved cooled chicken poaching liquid (see above) 
• 1/4 cup (or more, flavor to taste) Nit Noi fried garlic 

Directions: 

1. Rinse Jasmine rice well before adding to standard rice cooker (the idea is to eliminate some of the starch)
2. Add the cooled poaching liquid and the cleaned rice into the rice cooker and cook normally 
3. Season with Nit Noi fried garlic and set aside 

For the sauce: 

Ingredients: 

• 1/3 cup peeled fresh ginger
• 1/4 cup peeled fresh garlic
• 3 Tablespoons light soy sauce 
• 1/4 cup fermented soybean paste (available at Oriental Food Market in Norwalk) 
• 1/4 cup organic distilled white vinegar
• Fresh chili pepper, to taste (optional, but we prefer 1-2 Thai bird eye chili peppers)
• Cilantro leaves
• One whole, peeled and sliced English cucumber 

Directions: 

Add ginger, garlic, soy sauce, fermented soy bean paste, vinegar and chili pepper into a food processor and process continuously to desired texture

To prepare the dish: 

1. Quarter the whole cooked chicken and slice with skin to 1/4 to 1/2 inch slices
2. Place 1/4 of the chicken onto a bed of fried garlic seasoned Jasmine rice
3. Top with sauce
4. Garnish with English cucumber and fresh cilantro leaves

Other events of note this week at the Westport Farmers’ Market: The chef demonstration is by Fortina (starts promptly at 10:15); the featured non-profit organization is Community Plates; and Get Growing is sponsored by Earthplace and Hula Hoops with Rachel! Ring in September at the market from 10 – 2 this Thursday at 50 Imperial Avenue.

Photo of finished dish care of https://www.tastychao.com/khao-man-gai-thai-chicken-recipe