I saw this recipe in a village where there was little oil but plenty of margarine. It tastes much better if you use ghee or Rewa butter, and is a perfect dish to serve at big Chinese buffets. Just add whatever vegetables you have to bulk the pot out to make it last longer.
1kg Chicken pieces, boneless or bone-in, excess water removed
6 cups mixed fresh vegetables, chopped into chunks
2-3 white onions, roughly chopped
1 knob fresh ginger, grated
3-4 cloves of fresh garlic, minced
1-2 fresh chillies, chopped fine
2 tablespoons fresh coriander stems and root, roughly chopped
1/2 cup oyster sauce
1/2 cup light soy sauce
1/4 cup honey or brown sugar
2 cups water or stock
1 teaspoon white pepper
3 tablespoons ghee or Rewa butter
2 cups cooking oil
1. In a large mixing bowl, marinate the chicken pieces with half the light soy sauce and white pepper
2. In a large pot or wok, heat the oil until just smoking. In small batches, cook the chicken pieces until they are sealed and lightly brown (1-2 minutes). You don’t need to cook the chicken completely. Repeat until all chicken is pre-cooked.
3. Carefully transfer the used oil to a glass or steel container. Wash the pot and put back on the stove with 1 tablespoon of the used oil
4. Fry the onions, ginger, garlic, chilli and coriander for 2-3 minutes.
5. Add the pre-cooked chicken and combine
6. Add the remaining sauces and raw vegetables
7. Add the water or stock, and reduce to simmer for 20 minutes with a lid
8. Thicken the sauce with rice flour if needed
9. Serve with steamed rice
