Marmite chicken? You might go 'Ewwwwww!' at first especially if you are from the diehard Vegemite or Bovril camp, but I can promise you'll go 'Wowwwww! once you have tasted this rather peculiar sounding dish.
Hats off to the ingenious cook who took a breakfast staple and a few other very basic ingredients to give us this masterpiece. The natural savoury flavour of Marmite is further enhanced by the added soy, maltose, honey and stock. Once reduced the dark glossy sauce becomes the perfect glaze for the golden crispy fried chicken.
P.S Pork ribs or firm white fish can be prepared in the same manner. Vegemite and Bovril can be used if you not willing to be seen buying a jar of Marmite, though sadly in Australia Marmite doesn't come in the lovely curved shape jar anymore.
serves 4 as part of a Chinese meal
you'll need;
1 kg of chicken drumsticks, wings or thighs, cut into manageable pieces
2 tbs of oyster sauce
2 tbs of light soy
1 tbs of Chinese cooking wine
1 tsp of sesame oil
dash of white pepper
1/2 tbs of grated ginger
4 tbs of corn flour
for the sauce;
4 tbs of marmite
2 tbs of maltose
2 tbs of honey
3 tbs of light soy
1 cup of stock
Place all ingredients for the sauce in a bowl and mix well.
Marinate chicken for at least an hour.
Fry chicken in batches until golden and crispy. Drain well and set aside.
Place the sauce mix together with 2 tbs of the chicken frying oil in a wok and bring it to a simmer, stirring from time to time until it turns syrupy and glossy.
Return the chicken to the wok and make sure each piece of chicken is well coated with the sauce.
Serve on a bed of shredded lettuce with plenty of steamed rice.
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Suresh, thanks for posting this recipe. It's been one my list of recipes to try after our recent visit to Msia. In Sydney, I have seen the Marmite (similar to the ones sold in Msia) sold at Coles, in the asian/kosher food section.
ReplyDeleteI have heard about Marmite chicken and my reaction was indeed a ewww hehe. I think your explanations and photos have managed to convince me after all.... however I will be using our good old vegemite instead :)
ReplyDeleteThis is my favourite dish to order when I am back in KL. I dislike Marmite on its on but can't get enough of this dish hehe..
ReplyDeleteI definitely DID NOT go ewww because marmite chicken is one of my favorite chicken dishes!!!
ReplyDeletewe don't take marmite at home, if i want to cook this dish, i need to purposely go and buy one bottle, hehehe..
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ReplyDeleteI'd love to make this but not sure which sauces are added when. The 1st part of ingredients are the marinade? Then the marmite mixture is added along with some of the frying oil from cooked chicken into wok? Thanks!
ReplyDeleteSorry for the confusion. The first part of the ingredients include the marinade. The sauce ingredients are what should be mixed in a bowl.
DeleteJust tasted this in KK 2 days ago! Sarap! :) Also one of my fave is Nasi Goreng Kampung!
ReplyDelete-it's my first time to go out of the country (PH), and was pleasantly surprised about Village Style dishes in KK! ^^,
Hi, Can we get marmite here in Australia?
ReplyDeletejess its bovril
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