Instructions: As with anyone who starts cooking with ginger, I got to the point where I could never have enough in a dish. I knew there had to be a way to give it more than a supporting role.

I started experimenting with a simple chicken dish, using ginger almost as a vegetable instead of a seasoning. Unfortunately, the only ginger I could find was strong and fibrous. When I sliced it instead of mincing it, it was tough to chew and too powerful in flavor. Still, I could see potential, so I tried parboiling the ginger with a little sugar, which took the edge off and tenderized it.

Now, the tender young variety of ginger from Hawaii is available in abundance, with a pink tinge and a thin skin, and the dish is even simpler. The only drawback is that this ginger is found more easily in Asian markets than in supermarkets. San Francisco Bay Area Whole Foods markets sometimes also carry Hawaiian ginger.

Its worth seeking out, though, because it can literally be peeled with a spoon, and is tender and mild. Quick cooking and intense heat perfect its texture and taste, accomplishing just what I wanted in this dish, ginger in great quantity, without a lot of fussing.

The other ingredients - chicken stock, soy sauce and lime juice - complement rather than detract from the ginger. Boneless chicken breasts were overwhelmed by even the mildest ginger, so I switched to a cut-up chicken, using both white and dark meat. If I had to choose, I would use all thighs rather than all breasts.

The cooking technique is unusual: I first brown the chicken on top of the stove, then transfer it, skillet and all, to a very hot oven for about 20 minutes. I finish the dish back on the range with a little liquid and some minced ginger for an extra boost. This has the advantage of keeping the skin crisp while minimizing spatter and hassle. If you prefer, you can cook the chicken on top of the stove or in the oven for the entire time; in either case, add the sliced ginger after 10 minutes or so, so that it doesnt burn.

For a little more flavor, saute the chicken in dark sesame oil.

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