Andrea watched her granny make this dish whenever her family went to visit. The slow braise of ingredients coaxes out every bit of flavour, which means that it’s worth splurging on some good chicken and soy sauces for this dish. Pork is also commonly used in place of chicken. Serve the pongteh with some sambal belacan to boost the umami.
Granny’s chicken pongteh
by Andrea WeeAndrea watched her granny make this dish whenever her family went to visit. The slow braise of ingredients coaxes out every bit of flavour, which means that it’s worth splurging on some good chicken and soy sauces for this dish. Pork is also commonly used in place of chicken. Serve the pongteh with some sambal belacan to boost the umami.
Servings: 4
Prep time: Slightly involved
Servings: 4
Prep time: Slightly involved
Ingredients
3 tbsp of neutral oil
4 shallots, minced
10 cloves of garlic, minced
500g chicken pieces (preferably dark meat such as legs and thigh)
3 tbsp fermented soybean paste (taucu)
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
2 tbsp light soy sauce
500ml water
1 tbsp gula Melaka
1 cinnamon stick
2 star anise
2 potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 stalks spring onions, sliced thinly (optional)
White pepper to taste
Directions
- Heat a claypot, wok, or deep pan over a medium flame.
- Add the oil, then cook the minced shallots and garlic for about a minute.
- Add the chicken to sear the skin. Cook for about 5 minutes or until the surface of the chicken has turned white.
- Add the taucu, dark soy sauce and light soy sauce. Stir to coat the chicken well, then add the water. If the chicken isn’t fully submerged in the liquid, add more water.
- Bring the pot to a boil, then add gula melaka, cinnamon, star anise, white pepper, and potatoes.
- Cover the pot and continue cooking for 15-20 minutes. Then uncover the pot and cook for a further 15 minutes or until the broth thickens slightly. Garnish with spring onions and serve with rice.
Tips
- If you’re not as fond of garlic as Andrea’s granny, you can reduce it by as much as half.
- Miso or doenjang are good substitutes for taucu, but keep tasting the broth as salt levels may vary.
- Gula Melaka can be substituted with cane sugar or brown sugar.
Ingredients
3 tbsp of neutral oil
4 shallots, minced
10 cloves of garlic, minced
500g chicken pieces (preferably dark meat such as legs and thigh)
3 tbsp fermented soybean paste (taucu)
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
2 tbsp light soy sauce
500ml water
1 tbsp gula Melaka
1 cinnamon stick
2 star anise
2 potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 stalks spring onions, sliced thinly (optional)
White pepper to taste
Directions
- Heat a claypot, wok, or deep pan over a medium flame.
- Add the oil, then cook the minced shallots and garlic for about a minute.
- Add the chicken to sear the skin. Cook for about 5 minutes or until the surface of the chicken has turned white.
- Add the taucu, dark soy sauce and light soy sauce. Stir to coat the chicken well, then add the water. If the chicken isn’t fully submerged in the liquid, add more water.
- Bring the pot to a boil, then add gula melaka, cinnamon, star anise, white pepper, and potatoes.
- Cover the pot and continue cooking for 15-20 minutes. Then uncover the pot and cook for a further 15 minutes or until the broth thickens slightly. Garnish with spring onions and serve with rice.
Tips
- If you’re not as fond of garlic as Andrea’s granny, you can reduce it by as much as half.
- Miso or doenjang are good substitutes for taucu, but keep tasting the broth as salt levels may vary.
- Gula Melaka can be substituted with cane sugar or brown sugar.
