← Nouns Cooking · Malaysian & Singaporean

Ingredients

• 1 kg bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks, chopped into large chunks
• 10 Shallot, peeled
• 8 cloves Garlic
• 3 tbsp Vegetable oil
• 3 tbsp Fermented soybean paste (taucu / tau cheo), lightly mashed
• 1 Cinnamon stick (optional)
• 1½ tbsp Dark soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Soy sauce
• 2 tbsp gula melaka (palm sugar), grated
• 500 g Potato, peeled and cut into large chunks
• 6 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked for 20 minutes, halved, soaking water kept
• 450 ml water (including the mushroom soaking water)
• ¼ tsp White pepper
• Salt

Method

1. Pound the shallots and garlic to a coarse paste in a mortar, or pulse them in a food processor. Keep some texture.
2. Heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium heat and fry the shallot mixture for 4–5 min, stirring, until golden and sweet-smelling. Add the taucu and fry for 1–2 min more until it smells toasty; do not let it burn.
3. Add the chicken and cinnamon (if using) and stir-fry for 5 min until the chicken is coated and no longer pink outside. Stir in both soy sauces and the gula melaka.
4. Add the potatoes, mushrooms and water so the chicken is nearly covered. Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer over low heat for 25–30 min, stirring now and then, until the potatoes are tender and the chicken reaches 75°C (165°F).
5. Uncover and simmer for 5 min to reduce the sauce a little; it should be glossy and pourable. Season with white pepper, then taste and add salt or a little more sugar. Serve with rice and sambal belacan.

Tips

• Taucu brands vary a lot in saltiness, so only add salt at the end. Most contain wheat, so this is not gluten-free.
• Like most braises it tastes even better the next day. The older Nyonya version, babi pongteh, uses pork belly instead of chicken.

Sources

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

Huang Kitchen Taste Asian Food Singaporean Malaysian Recipes