← Nouns Cooking · Malaysian & Singaporean

Ingredients

• 900 g bone-in chicken pieces, cut into serving pieces
• 1 tsp Ground turmeric
• 1 tsp Salt
• 4 tbsp Vegetable oil
• 1 Cinnamon stick
• 2 Star anise
• 3 Cloves
• 3 cardamom pods, bruised
• 4 Shallot, sliced
• 3 cloves Garlic, minced
• 3 cm piece Ginger, minced
• 1 tbsp dried chilli paste (cili boh) (optional)
• 4 tbsp kicap manis (sweet soy sauce)
• 1 tbsp Ketchup
• 1 tbsp Oyster sauce (optional)
• 200 ml Water
• 1 Onion, cut into rings
• 1 Tomato, cut into wedges
• 2 Spring onion, cut into lengths

Method

1. Rub the chicken with the turmeric and salt. Heat the oil in a wok and fry the chicken over medium-high heat for 8–10 min, turning, until golden all over but not cooked through. Set aside.
2. Pour off all but 2 tbsp oil. Fry the cinnamon, star anise, cloves and cardamom for 30 seconds, then add the shallots, garlic and ginger and fry for 2–3 min until golden.
3. Stir in the chilli paste (if using) and fry for 1 minute, then add the kicap manis, ketchup, oyster sauce and water.
4. Return the chicken, cover and simmer for 15 min, turning once, until cooked through (75°C/165°F at the bone) and the sauce is sticky.
5. Add the onion rings and tomato and cook for 2 min more so they soften but keep some bite. Scatter over the spring onion and serve with hot rice.

Tips

• Frying the turmeric chicken first is what gives the sauce its deep, savoury caramel; do not skip it.
• Contains soy and wheat (kicap manis). Add a few potato chunks with the water for a heartier pot.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

What To Cook Today Nomadette