Every family that originates from South China has a version of a soya sauce braise recipe. And since most Singaporean Chinese families have their roots from Canton, Fujian or Teochew, almost every family has a unique recipe.
I have tried many versions of soya sauce braise recipes over the decades. Through those experiments, I find the Hong Kong recipe best for chickens, the Thai version the best for ducks and the Fujian version best for pork.
This version is the Hong Kong recipe, which is the best I believe for chicken, the sweetness is from the rock sugar, and the aroma from the wine (I use huatiao jiu – 花雕酒 though the recommended is Chinese Rose).Ingredients:
Soya Sauce Braise Chicken (Hong Kong Style)
Ingredients
- 1 kg whole chicken I used a frozen chicken, thawed
- 1/2 cup of stock or 1/2 cup of water with 1 teaspoon of chicken buillon
- 2 Tbsp Rock Sugar or just white sugar
- 1/4 cup Soya Sauce or according to taste
- 1/4 cup Black Soya Sauce
Braising ingredients
- 2 Tbsp Cooking Oil
- 8 cloves of Garlic cut into slices
- 5 shallots or 1 big onion cut into slices
- 1 thumbsize Ginger cut into slices
- 1 bunch Green Onions white parts only
- 2 Star Anise optional
Instructions
- Use a rice cooker, instant pot or pot.
- Fry the braising ingredients in the pot.
- Rice cooker: like cooking rice.
- Instant pot: 15 minutes
- Pot: Boil for 20 minutes
- Let the chicken sit in the liquid for another 20 minutes to cook in the residual heat.
- Remove from braising liquid, cool and cut.
- Serve with steamed rice, braised eggs, any kind of stir fried greens or salad.
Braised eggs
- Add hard boiled eggs into the braising liquid and cook for 10 minutes or more.
