← Nouns Cooking · Malaysian & Singaporean

Ingredients

• 600 g boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 tbsp Soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• ¼ tsp White pepper
• 1 Eggs, beaten
• 4 tbsp Cornflour (cornstarch)
• 500 ml oil, for frying
• 2 tbsp Marmite (yeast extract)
• 2 tbsp honey or maltose
• 1 tbsp Soy sauce
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 4 tbsp Water
• 2 cloves Garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tsp Sesame seeds, toasted

Method

1. Mix the chicken with the soy sauce, wine, pepper and egg and leave for 30 min. Stir in the cornflour just before frying so each piece is coated.
2. Whisk the Marmite, honey, soy sauce, sugar and water together until smooth.
3. Heat the oil in a wok to 170°C (340°F). Fry the chicken in batches for 5–6 min until golden, crisp and cooked through to 75°C (165°F). Drain and pour off all but 1 tbsp of oil.
4. Fry the garlic in the wok over medium heat for 30 seconds, then pour in the sauce and let it bubble for 1–2 min until thick and glossy.
5. Return the chicken and toss quickly to coat. Scatter with sesame seeds and serve with rice.

Tips

• Marmite is made from yeast extract that contains barley, so this is not gluten-free; Bovril-style beef extract was the original in some kitchens.
• Toss and serve fast: the glaze softens the crust if the chicken sits in it.

Sources

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

Taste Asian Food Huang Kitchen