Chicken pongteh (braised chicken and potatoes)
makes
4
"This is a dish that always transports me back to my Mum’s kitchen in Malaysia. It’s still one of the top dishes I ask her to cook for me when I visit. She uses pork as the main protein, but in this version, I use chicken thighs, and I cook them in my trusty wok, which has a lid. But a heavy-based saucepan with a lid works just as well,” says MasterChef's Alvin Quah.
Ingredients (11)
- 1 cup (35g) dried shiitake mushrooms
- 2 medium onions, roughly chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup (40g) fermented soy beans (from Asian grocers)
- 1 tbs vegetable oil
- 500g chicken thigh fillets, cut into 3-4cm pieces
- 500g medium washed potatoes, cut into 4-5cm pieces
- 2 tbs kecap manis
- Steamed rice, to serve
- Sliced long green shallots, to serve
- Sambal oelek, to serve
Don't forget you can add these ingredients to your Woolworths shopping list.
CloseMethod
-
1.Soak shiitake in a medium heatproof bowl of warm water for 30 minutes, then drain, reserving 3/4 cup (180ml) of the liquid. Set both aside.
-
2.Meanwhile, whiz onion, garlic and soy beans in a food processor until a paste.
-
3.Heat a large wok over medium-high heat, then add the oil. Once the oil comes to temperature, fry the paste for 2-3 minutes or until fragrant. Add chicken and stir-fry for 5 minutes, making sure it is well coated in the paste. Add potatoes and soaked shiitake and stir-fry for 5 minutes.
-
4.Stir through the reserved shiitake soaking liquid and bring to the boil. Stir in kecap manis, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer, stirring halfway through, for 25-30 minutes until the potato is just tender and sauce has thickened slightly.
-
5.Serve with steamed rice, shallots and sambal oelek alongside.
Recipe Notes
This is a truly moreish dish, thanks to its perfectly balanced sweet and salty combination of flavours.
Reviews
Join the conversation
Log in Register