Ginger and Chicken (Gai Pud King)

The combination of chicken and ginger is very healthy, good for post-pregnancy, so I should be making this for my beautiful Bride more often. This is also very tasty. The idea of putting black fungus in this dish is alien to the Thai, but it worked as an ingredient. Put more or less ginger, depending on how spicy you prefer, and how spicy or fresh the ginger is. We like it spicy, with lots of ginger flavour.

Ginger and Chicken (Gai Pud King)
1 cup woodear mushrooms
1 onion
3" piece ginger, julienned into matchstick-size pieces
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 chicken thighs or breasts, cut into small small pieces
2 Tbsp fish sauce
2 tsp sugar

Soak the mushrooms in hot water for 5 minutes, until they are soft. Remove any hard bits. Slice or tear into equal-sized pieces. Halve the onion lengthwise and slice lengthwise into equal-sized pieces.

Add a tablespoon of oil to a hot work over medium-high heat. Add chopped garlic and some of the julienned ginger and fry for a minute or so, until the ginger and garlic starts to turn brown and becomes fragrant. Add pieces of chicken and stir to coat the chicken with oil for a minute or so; fry until browned. Add onion, the rest of ginger and woodear mushrooms. Stir to mix well. Add fish sauce and sugar. Stir for a couple minutes to cook all ingredients and let the ingredients absorb the fish sauce and sugar.