← Nouns Cooking · Malaysian & Singaporean

Ingredients

• 1 Onion
• 4 cloves Garlic
• 3 cm piece Ginger
• 1 tbsp Vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp Ground coriander
• 1 tsp Cumin
• 1 tsp ground fennel
• 1 Cinnamon stick
• 2 Star anise
• 4 cardamom pods
• 4 Cloves
• 600 g bone-in chicken pieces
• 1.2 l Water
• 2 Potato, cut into chunks
• 2 Carrot, cut into chunks
• 2 Tomato, quartered (optional)
• 1 handful Chinese celery or celery leaves (daun sup), chopped
• 2 Spring onion, chopped
• 2 tbsp Crispy fried shallots
• salt, to taste

Method

1. Blend the onion, garlic and ginger with 3 tbsp water into a smooth paste.
2. Heat the oil in a pot and fry the paste for 3–4 min over medium heat until fragrant. Stir in the ground coriander, cumin and fennel and fry for 1 minute more.
3. Add the chicken and stir to coat, then pour in the water and add the whole spices (tied in muslin if you have it). Bring to the boil, skim, and simmer for 15 min.
4. Add the potatoes and carrots and simmer for 20 min more, until the vegetables are tender and the chicken is cooked through (75°C/165°F at the bone). Add the tomatoes for the last 5 min.
5. Season well with salt, remove the spice bundle and serve topped with celery leaves, spring onion and fried shallots, with rice and sambal kicap.

Tips

• Malaysian shops sell ready-made sup bunjut spice bags; one bag replaces the whole spices here.
• Make it a meal with a squeeze of lime and a spoon of chilli in soy sauce, or add rice vermicelli for a quick bihun sup.

Sources

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

Nomadette Free Malaysia Today