Nyonya Pongteh Chicken

Ingredients

Pounded paste:

• 8 shallots, peeled
• 5 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 inch (2.5cm) ginger, peeled

Stew:

• 2 lb (900g) bone-in chicken thighs, drumsticks, or a mix
• 2 tbsp neutral oil
• 3 tbsp taucheo/fermented soybean paste, lightly mashed
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tbsp gula Melaka or brown sugar, to taste
• 2 cups (500ml) water or unsalted chicken stock
• 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
• 6 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked until soft and halved (optional)
• 1 small cinnamon stick (optional)
• White pepper, to taste
• Salt, only if needed
• Fried shallots and sliced red chili, for serving

Instructions

1. Make the paste. Pound or blend the shallots, garlic, and ginger into a rough paste. If blending, use as little water as possible so the paste fries instead of steams.
2. Brown the chicken. Pat the chicken dry. Heat oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat, then brown the chicken in batches until the skin and edges pick up color. Remove and set aside.
3. Fry the aromatics. Lower the heat to medium. Add the pounded paste to the same pot and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring often, until the raw smell disappears and the paste turns glossy.
4. Cook the taucheo. Add the taucheo and fry for 2 minutes. This step is what turns the soybean paste from salty and sharp into something round, nutty, and savory.
5. Build the sauce. Stir in light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, gula Melaka, water or stock, potatoes, mushrooms, and cinnamon stick if using. Scrape the bottom of the pot so all the browned bits dissolve into the gravy.
6. Simmer gently. Return the chicken and any juices to the pot. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook over low heat for 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is tender and the potatoes are soft.
7. Reduce and adjust. Uncover and simmer for another 5-10 minutes until the gravy is slightly thickened but still spoonable. Taste and adjust with white pepper, more gula Melaka, or salt only if the taucheo needs help.
8. Serve. Rest for 10 minutes before serving so the gravy settles. Top with fried shallots and sliced chili, then serve with hot rice.

Notes

Critical insight: Taucheo is salty, but it also needs frying. If you just dissolve it into the liquid, the stew tastes flat and briny. Fry it in the aromatic paste until it smells nutty before adding water.

Substitutions: Bone-in chicken gives the best gravy, but boneless thighs work if you reduce the simmering time to about 20 minutes. If you cannot find gula Melaka, use dark brown sugar with a tiny splash of molasses. Miso is not identical to taucheo, but 2 tablespoons yellow miso plus 1 tablespoon soy sauce can get you through an emergency version.

Storage: Pongteh tastes better the next day. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days and reheat gently with a splash of water if the gravy thickens too much. It also freezes well, though the potatoes will become softer after thawing.

Variations: Add 2 star anise or a small piece of cassia bark for a warmer spice profile. For a thicker, more old-school gravy, lightly crush a few potato pieces into the sauce at the end. For more sweetness, add another teaspoon of gula Melaka after simmering instead of increasing it at the start.

Pairs with: Serve with plain rice, sliced cucumber, and something sharp or fresh like Smashed Cucumber Salad.