One of the saddest parts about a nationwide lockdown is the inability to enjoy one’s favourite dishes while dining out. True, one can opt to order online or takeaway, but it is nothing compared to the real deal.

Thankfully, this recipe, which is based on a 1980s version from a multi-generational Hainanese coffee shop, will help you relive the exquisite experience of savouring Hainanese chicken chop.

There are many versions of Hainanese chicken chop but this version is packed with sweet and sour gravy made with a mixed tomato base, Worcestershire sauce, soya sauce, chicken soup stock, some other secret ingredients, and a load of tasty peas.

For this recipe, which serves two comfortably, the team used a new Philips Airfryer XXL Smart Sensing that proved to be a great time saver.

It might work well for all you busy parents and working professionals, especially for those working from home these next few weeks.

Equipment

• 1 portable induction cooker
• 2 saucepans
• 1 Philips Airfryer XXL

Ingredients

Chicken chop

• 2 pieces or 400g-450g whole chicken legs
• 2g sea salt
• 1g pepper
• 0.5g five-spice powder
• 10g rice flour
• 5g light soy sauce

Gravy

• 500ml of water
• Chicken bones and fat (removed from the two pieces of whole chicken legs)
• 150g sweet yellow onion, cut into slices
• 150g frozen peas (half this to 75g if you want more gravy and fewer vegetables)
• 150g frozen mix vegetables (half this to 75g if you want more gravy and fewer vegetables)
• 150g tomato puree
• 10g rice flour mixed with 80ml water
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon light soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• 10 g butter

Roast vegetables on the side

• 1 corn on the cob, cut into two logs
• 150g broccoli
• 300g frozen fries
• 10g butter
• 1 sunflower seed oil cooking spray

Method

A. Marinate the chicken

• Remove the bones and excess fat from the chicken. Set the bones and excess fat aside (do not bin as you will use it in B).
• Place the chicken into a container, and add in pepper and five-spice powder.
• Give the chicken meat a good rub, but without being too rough.
• Then add in the salt and the soy sauce and finally the rice flour. Mix well and let it rest with the skin facing downwards.
• Cover up and put into the fridge.

B. The chicken soup stock for the gravy

• Put the bones and excess fat into a saucepan, add 500ml of water and bring it to boil.
• Next, lower the heat to the lowest possible, cover the saucepan with a lid, and let it simmer for an hour, and then turn off the heat.

C. The gravy

• Heat up two tablespoons of cooking oil in another saucepan, then put in the sliced onions and stir until everything is coated in oil.
• When it starts to get fragrant, dash in some powdered pepper.
• When the onion begins to soften or brown, add in the chicken soup stock from the other saucepan and let it come to boil.
• Add in the tomato puree and stir it in until evenly mixed. Then, add in the Worcester sauce, followed by the 10g of butter, and one teaspoon of sugar. Mix it well and let this simmer until the onions have softened and have almost disintegrated.
• Prepare a mix of 80ml water at room temperature and 10g of rice flour. Add these into the simmering gravy as this will thicken the gravy. Add in a dash of soy sauce.
• When the gravy starts to bubble, pour in the frozen peas and mixed vegetables. Stir and cook for five to 10 minutes (the longer you cook it, the mushier the vegetables become).
• Turn off the heat and set aside.

D. Roast potato fries and vegetables

• Spray some sunflower seed oil and add a dash of salt onto 300g of frozen fries. Next, place it evenly into the basket and slide it into the Philips Airfryer XXL.
• Switch on the Airfryer, select the ‘smart chef’ function for frozen fries and press confirm.
• Rub some butter on the corn and broccoli. Next, place them into the Airfryer basket.
• For optimal results, cook the ingredients in two batches: cook the corn at 200 degree Celsius for eight minutes, then the broccoli at 200 degree Celsius for six minutes.
• Set the roasted corn and broccoli aside.

E. The chicken chop

• Lift the marinated chicken chops up from the container and roll it up loosely. Put them into the airfryer, and select the ‘chicken drumstick’ button.
• The inbuilt computer will cook it for nearly half an hour, but 15 to 20 minutes is good enough as well.

Presentation

To plate, place the fries by the side and pour out of the vegetable sauce in the middle, place the fried chicken chops at the top and the roast corn and broccoli by the side.

This article first appeared in butterkicap.com

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