Recipe - Ayam Pongteh (Braised Chicken With Salted Soya Beans)

Ayam pongteh (braised chicken with salted soya bean paste) is a popular nonya dish, a must have among the Peranakans during festive seasons like Chinese New Year. Nonya cooking is the result of blending Chinese ingredients and wok cooking techniques with spices used by the Malay/Indonesian community.

Onions or shallots and garlic are combined with salted soya bean paste (fermented soya beans) to form a seasoning paste to flavour this dish. Palm sugar gives sweetness and added flavour to the dish.

Palm sugar comes in cylindrical block and needs to be chopped into smaller pieces.

Ingredients (serves 5):

palm sugar or gula malacca

5 chicken thighs, bone-in, skinless
10 fresh shitake mushrooms
5 large onions,
5 cloves garlic
2 tsp palm sugar
2 tsp salted soya bean paste
1 potato, peeled and cut into bite size
1 tsp of dark soy, for colouring
2 tbs oil

Method
Blend the onions and garlic coarsely

salted soya bean paste

In a wok or pot, heat the oil on medium till hot
Toss in the blended onions and garlic and stir fry till fragrant, about 2 minutes
Add the salted soya bean paste, saute for another minute
Toss in the chicken, mushrooms, potato and palm sugar
Saute till the chicken is cooked on the outside
Add a cup of water, or enough to cover the chicken
Add the dark soy
Bring the mixture to a boil, the reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for about 45 minutes.
In between, check and stir to ensure enough liquid and even cooking
Check the taste, add more sugar if required

    
A nice 4 minute video showing to cook ayam pongteh





Another video on making ayam pong teh.