A vision of Vietnam

These exquisite recipes from Uyen Luu bring the distinct flavours of this Southeast Asian cuisine to your table

-  UYEN LUU

Baked ginger and lemon chicken (gà nuong) (pictured on p46)

One of my favourite midweek meals takes minutes to prepare – sometimes things just have to be that simple. Ginger, tangy lemon, hot chillies and sticky honey are a great combo, and you should have a supply of them in the kitchen to turn simple chicken into something special for those lazy, cosy evenings. You can also use chicken wings or pork ribs but the cooking times will vary.

50 MINUTES | SERVES 4 | EASY |

dried chilli flakes 1 tbsp, plus extra to serve (optional)

ginger 21/2cm piece, finely chopped

soy sauce 6 tbsp

whole chicken thighs and drumsticks 1kg

red onions 2, quartered

lemon 1, zested, then sliced into rings

butter 1 tbsp

runny honey 2 tbsp

vegetable oil ½ tbsp

shallot 1 long, sliced

garlic 3 cloves, sliced

TO SERVE

steamed rice greens 320g (such as kale, broccoli and fine green beans)

chilli oil

1 Heat the oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. In a small bowl, mix the chilli, if using, with the ginger and soy. Tip the chicken into a roasting pan large enough that there is a two-finger width space between each piece. Pour in the marinade and stir to coat. Add the onion quarters, then arrange the lemon slices in between the pieces of chicken. Roast for 35 minutes, basting halfway through until the chicken is tender.

2 Remove from the oven, pour any juices into a small pan, then return the chicken and onions to the oven. Add the butter to the juices with the honey and lemon zest, and cook for a few minutes until it has reduced by a third.