EZCR#43 - TAIWAN FLAVOUR BRAISED CHICKEN WITH ARROWROOT

I cooked this lovely dish with a new kitchen gadget. My brother in-law was backed for CNY and gave me this Thermal Cooker [a 7L La Gourmet Thermal Cooker]. I didn’t know that cooking with this cooker just require about 10-15 minutes of cooking time. The remaining cooking process is left to the Thermal Cooker [without direct heat]. It really is an energy saver kitchen gadget. How soon the food is ready depends on what you are cooking. For chicken, it takes about 2 hours.

There are 2 separate stainless steel pots.  I used the small one to cook rice and the big one to cook this chicken.  Safe time and energy. 

The chicken pieces and arrowroot wedges are just tender and has a bite.  The sauce is thick and very tasty.  It is so delicious with rice.
By the way, I used this cooker to cook Nyonya Curry Chicken, the curry was awesome.  I just need to fry the ingredients until aromatic, bring to boil and leave the remaining cooking process in the outer pot.  All the frying and boiling only requires about 15 minutes.
Thanks to my BIL, I'll cook something good for him next time when he comes back.  I think he knows that I'll appreciate this or is it that he enjoyed my cooking very much, hehehe! 

Ingredients

[serves 3]

2 chicken whole legs – cut bit size pieces

4-5 arrowroot [ciku] – peeled and halved

1-2 stalks spring onions – cut into 2” lengths

5-6 pips garlic – peeled and keep whole

A few slices of ginger

Seasoning

2 tbsp each of light soy sauce, oyster sauce and black vinegar

1 tsp each of sugar and pepper

1. Marinate chicken pieces with some light soy sauce, 5 spice powder, sugar and potato starch.
2. If Using a Thermal Cooker - Heat cooker pot, add in some cooking oil, fry chicken pieces and arrowroot until brown. Push aside, add in ½ portion of spring onions and garlic.
3. Fry until brown and fragrant. Mix with chicken and arrowroot pieces. Add in seasoning, stir to mix well and add in some water [less required with this pot].
4. Bring to boil for another 5-10 minutes. Off heat.
5. Immediately transfer it to the outer pot, cover and closed the lid. Leave food to cook for about 2 hours. Garnish with spring onions, serve.
   
   
   
   
   
   

Note -The cooking time is different with what kind of food you are cooking. Food stays warm for 8 hours.  Reheat the inner pot over stove if you prefer your food really hot].

1. If Using Normal Wok - Heat a non-stick wok without oil, fry chicken pieces [skin side first] until oil oozes out and brown. Add in the arrowroot to brown, too. 
2. Push aside, add in ½ portion of spring onions and all the garlic. Fry until brown and aromatic. Then mix with chicken and arrowroot pieces. Add in seasoning, stir to mix well and add in enough water to cover ingredients.
3. Bring to boil, then low heat to simmer until chicken and arrowroot are tender and gravy is reduced.
4. Add in remaining spring onions. Dish up to serve.