Justin Woods, head chef at The Castle Green Hotel, Kendal, and Greenhouse restaurant.

 

Question:

I recently made a ginger chicken dish which tasted too much of ginger and not much else. How can I achieve a rounder flavour?

Sam Broadbent, Bolton-le-Sands

 

Justin says...

Chicken and ginger is a modern classic but if you just leave it as ginger it can be a bit overpowering. You need to balance out the bold flavour of the ginger. Marinate your chicken in some olive oil, chopped coriander, lime juice and zest, a little five spice and some chopped freshly peeled ginger. Whether you are using chicken breast or chicken thighs, it’s best to put a few cuts in the skin to let the marinade penetrate the flesh. If you have time, marinate overnight, but a couple of hours will do. If you are doing a stir fry with your chicken, make sure you are adding crushed garlic and some finely shredded onions to it along with your ginger. Finish the stir fry with some shredded spring onions, chopped coriander and a good squeeze of lime juice. All these extra flavours will give your dish a much more rounded taste.