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Sekai Gohan
Sos Tiram: Malaysian Fried Chicken Glazed in Oyster Sauce
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken (ayam), boneless skin-on thigh, bite-size pieces | 1 lb 2 oz (500 g) | Main ingredient |
| Oyster sauce (sos tiram) | 1 tbsp | Marinade: salt and savoury depth |
| Sweet thick soy sauce (kicap manis) | 1 tbsp | Marinade: sweetness and shine |
| Dark soy sauce (kicap pekat) | 1 tbsp | Marinade: colour |
| Water (air) | ½ cup | Sauce: the liquid |
| Oyster sauce (sos tiram) | 1 tbsp | Sauce: the main flavour |
| Dark soy sauce (kicap pekat) | ½ tsp | Sauce: colour and salt |
| Ginger (halia) | a 3-inch (7.5 cm) piece | Aromatics: the main fragrance |
| Shallots (bawang merah) | 5 | Aromatics: sweetness and aroma |
| Dried red chillies (cili kering) | 5 | Aromatics: heat and a smoky edge |
| Spring onion (daun bawang), sliced | as needed (optional) | Finish: fresh aroma |
| Cooking oil | as needed | For frying the chicken |
Steps
1Cut and marinate the chicken
On the raw-meat board, cut the chicken into bite-size pieces of even thickness so they cook at the same rate. Put them in a bowl with 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tbsp kicap manis and 1 tbsp kicap pekat, and toss until every piece is coated. Leave them for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, stir the water, the second 1 tbsp oyster sauce and ½ tsp kicap pekat together in a small bowl and set it aside. The marinade is ready when the chicken surface is tinted light brown and almost no liquid is left at the bottom of the bowl.
2Fry the first side
Prepare the aromatics now: slice the shallots, cut the ginger into thin slices and then fine slivers, and tear the dried chillies open to shake out the seeds. Heat oil about ¼ inch (5 mm) deep in the frying pan over medium heat. Lay the chicken in skin side down in a single layer with space between the pieces. Leave the pieces alone for 3–4 minutes. They are ready to turn when the underside is a deep golden brown.
3Finish frying and lift the chicken out
Turn each piece and fry the second side for 3–4 minutes. Check the thickest piece. It should feel springy when pressed, and juices from a skewer should run clear. A thermometer in the centre should read 167°F (75°C) and hold there for 1 minute. Lift the chicken onto a plate and let the oil drain off a little. The crust should be dark golden with no black patches. This is what keeps the dish from turning watery once the sauce goes in.
4Fry the aromatics
Pour off the excess oil, leaving a thin film in the pan. Add the shallots, ginger and seeded chillies, and stir them over medium heat for 1–2 minutes. Cooking the moisture out of the aromatics now keeps the finished glaze from going soggy. Move on when the shallots are translucent and the smell of ginger and toasted chilli fills the kitchen.
5Return the chicken to the pan
Put the fried chicken back on top of the aromatics. Turn the pieces with a spatula so the ginger and shallot catch on the crust. Do not add any liquid yet. The pan should look fairly dry and shiny with fat, and the chicken should sizzle steadily. Move on when every piece is warm again and has bits of aromatics stuck to it.
6Add the sauce and glaze
Stir the sauce bowl once and pour it around the edge of the pan rather than over the chicken. Keep the heat at medium and turn the pieces for 1–2 minutes as the sauce bubbles gently. Do not boil it hard or reduce it further. It is done when the sauce looks glossy, coats the bottom of the pan, and a spoon drawn through it leaves a line.
7Finish with spring onion
Turn off the heat as soon as the glaze clings. Scatter the sliced spring onion over the chicken and toss once so it softens slightly in the heat. Serve straight from the pan with hot white rice. When it is right, the chicken is evenly glazed, the chillies sit soft between the pieces, and there is no pool of sauce left in the pan.