Caramelized Lemongrass Chicken Thighs - cooking recipe

Ingredients

4 -6 chicken thighs
2 stalks lemongrass
2 cloves garlic
3 tablespoons fish sauce
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Preparation

Remove skins and extra fat from chicken.
Remove the outer leaves from the lemongrass, cut into 1 inch pieces, and pound until somewhat flattened with a meat tenderizer.
Crush garlic and blend with lemongrass, fish sauce, sugar, and pepper.
Add chicken and toss to coat well; marinate 3-4 hours.
If needed, you can marinate for 15 minutes and cook- the flavor will be less intense, but it will still work if you're in a hurry.
Remove chicken from marinade (but save the marinade).
Heat oil in a pan with a tight-fitting lid.
Brown the chicken in the oil (~10minutes).
Pour the remaining marinade into the pan, and add enough water to just cover the bottom of the pan (there should be 1/4 inch or less of liquid - it needs to simmer off, or else the chicken won't caramelize).
Bring the liquid to a boil, then cover tightly and simmer until the chicken is tender, turning occassionally (about 30 minutes).
Stir lemon juice into sauce, and stir to coat chicken.
Serve hot.