Cherry & Dennis Helper Habitat

Malaysian Sarawak Kacang Ma Chicken

馬來西亞砂拉越益母草薑酒雞 Kacang Ma

Malaysian Sarawak Kacang Ma Chicken — finished dish

Total time: 70 min
Difficulty: Medium
Servings: 4 servings

Recipe overview

Chicken thigh, old ginger and dried motherwort are fried in sesame oil, then gently braised with rice wine for Sarawak Kacang Ma.

01

Ingredients

Main ingredients

800 g skinless chicken thigh pieces
20 g dried motherwort herb
80 g old ginger

Main seasoning

250 ml rice wine
300 ml water
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp salt

Malaysian Sarawak Kacang Ma Chicken — ingredients

02

Tools

cutting board
knife
strainer
heavy pot
wooden spoon
probe thermometer

Malaysian Sarawak Kacang Ma Chicken — tools

03

Steps

Malaysian Sarawak Kacang Ma Chicken — Rinse dried motherwort briefly, drain and cut into short lengths

Step 1

Rinse dried motherwort briefly, drain and cut into short lengths

Rinse dried motherwort briefly, drain and cut into short lengths.

Malaysian Sarawak Kacang Ma Chicken — Scrub unpeeled ginger, bruise it and slice thinly

Step 2

Scrub unpeeled ginger, bruise it and slice thinly

Scrub unpeeled ginger, bruise it and slice thinly.

Malaysian Sarawak Kacang Ma Chicken — Dry chicken pieces and check each one for bone fragments

Step 3

Dry chicken pieces and check each one for bone fragments

Dry chicken pieces and check each one for bone fragments.

Malaysian Sarawak Kacang Ma Chicken — Heat sesame oil and fry ginger over medium-low until its edges are golden

Step 4

Heat sesame oil and fry ginger over medium-low until its edges are golden

Heat sesame oil and fry ginger over medium-low until its edges are golden.

Malaysian Sarawak Kacang Ma Chicken — Add motherwort and fry two minutes until aromatic without scorching

Step 5

Add motherwort and fry two minutes until aromatic without scorching

Add motherwort and fry two minutes until aromatic without scorching.

Malaysian Sarawak Kacang Ma Chicken — Add chicken and stir-fry until every surface turns opaque

Step 6

Add chicken and stir-fry until every surface turns opaque

Add chicken and stir-fry until every surface turns opaque.

Malaysian Sarawak Kacang Ma Chicken — Pour rice wine around the pot edge and cook one minute

Step 7

Pour rice wine around the pot edge and cook one minute

Pour rice wine around the pot edge and cook one minute.

Malaysian Sarawak Kacang Ma Chicken — Add 300 ml water and salt, bring to a boil and skim

Step 8

Add 300 ml water and salt, bring to a boil and skim

Add 300 ml water and salt, bring to a boil and skim.

Malaysian Sarawak Kacang Ma Chicken — Cover and braise gently thirty minutes, turning chicken once

Step 9

Cover and braise gently thirty minutes, turning chicken once

Cover and braise gently thirty minutes, turning chicken once.

Malaysian Sarawak Kacang Ma Chicken — Probe the thickest chicken piece and confirm at least 75°C

Step 10

Probe the thickest chicken piece and confirm at least 75°C

Probe the thickest chicken piece and confirm at least 75°C.

Malaysian Sarawak Kacang Ma Chicken — Uncover and reduce five minutes, leaving a spoonable herbal broth

Step 11

Uncover and reduce five minutes, leaving a spoonable herbal broth

Uncover and reduce five minutes, leaving a spoonable herbal broth.

Malaysian Sarawak Kacang Ma Chicken — Bowl chicken with ginger and a little herbal broth; serve hot

Step 12

Bowl chicken with ginger and a little herbal broth; serve hot

Bowl chicken with ginger and a little herbal broth; serve hot.

Common mistakes

Scorched herbs or ginger make the dish bitter; chicken below 75°C is unsafe.

Tips

Use clearly labelled culinary dried motherwort; rinse briefly rather than soaking away its aroma.