Today's RECIPE is an iconic Chinese Malaysian/Singaporean dish ~ Marmite Chicken. Don't like Marmite? Not a problem. Just replace with Bovril or Vegemite. You can also cook with ribs or any white fish. Choice of meat is up to you.

Recipe by Mama Ding

Total Time | 1 hr 50 mins

Prep Time | 10 mins + 1 hr marinate time

Cook Time | 40 mins

Servings : 4 - 6

Ingredients

1.5 kg (3.3 lb) bone in chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
Marinate the chicken pieces for 1 hr with~
3 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine (optional)
3 tbsp corn starch
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
1/2 tsp white pepper powder or to taste
Ingredients for the sauce~
5 tbsp Marmite
4 tbsp light soy sauce
3 tbsp honey
3 tbsp maltose (microwave for 20s for easier handling)
3 tbsp Chinese plum sauce (sour type; we used Life brand)
240 ml (1 cup) stock (meat/vegetable)
Garnish~
2 tsp black/white sesame seeds (optional), we used black sesame seeds
some shredded lettuce/cabbage

Method

01 In a large bowl, place all the ingredients for the marinade. Mix well. Add the chicken pieces and set aside for at least 1 hr.

02 Heat enough cooking oil for deep frying on high heat in a wok/pot. Lower heat to medium after the oil starts to smoke and carefully lower the chicken pieces into the oil for frying.

Deep fry in batches (4/5 pieces at a time) until golden. Turn off heat. Remove and drain on paper towels. Set aside while you prepare the sauce.

03 Mix all the ingredients for the sauce in a bowl. Stir to mix well.

04 Remove all the oil you used to fry the chicken leaving 3 tbsp of the oil in the wok/pot.

Turn on heat and while oil is heating up, pour the mixed sauce ingredients in. Stir constantly to prevent burning. Simmer on medium heat until the sauce becomes glossy, thick and syrupy, about 5 - 6 mins.

05 Add the fried chicken pieces and stir to coat the chicken evenly with the sauce. Add the sesame seeds and mix well. Turn off heat.

06 Dish up on a plate lined with the shredded lettuce/cabbage and serve hot. Goes well with rice/congee.

Notes

There are a few ways to cook this dish.

Method 1~ is the above method.
Method 2~ Coat the chicken pieces with some corn starch and deep fry until golden. Dish up and drain. Cook the sauce then add the fried chicken pieces. Coat evenly with the cooked sauce.
Method 3~ Do not deep fry the chicken pieces. Cook the sauce then add the raw chicken pieces to the simmering sauce. Stir constantly until chicken is cooked.
Choose your preferred method.

Maltose is used in this recipe. Can be replaced with more honey (i.e. use 6 tbsp honey) if you can’t get hold of maltose.

We used bone in chicken breasts and thighs for this dish. You can use boneless if preferred. Chicken wings work well for this dish too.

You can also use pork/beef ribs and any white fish to cook this dish.