Braised chicken and eggs in dark soy sauce

This is a popular home-cooked Chinese dish which every family have their own version of it. Though it is just a simple dish but each individual prepare it in their own way, with some variations in terms of cooking method and ingredients used.  This recipe which I am going to share is my very own signature dish which I have been cooking over and over again, not having to measure the amount of ingredients used.  For purpose of doing a write-up of this recipe I try to be as close as possible, at the same time tasting and adding along the way. Ta...da...

Ingredients: (serves 2)

2 chicken drumsticks and 1 thigh (whole)

2 hard boiled eggs (peeled)

5 cloves garlic (washed, lightly crushed with skin)

some rock sugar (to taste)

some salt (to taste)

dark soy sauce (if necessary)

1 tbsp cooking oil

enough water (for braising)

Marinade: (mix together in a bowl)

3/4 tsp five spice powder

1 tbsp dark soy sauce

1 tbsp sugar

1 1/2 tsp salt

How to go about:

• Clean the chicken drumstick and thigh, rub the marinade over to make sure that they are evenly coated and leave to marinate for at least 1 hour in room temperature.

• In a heated wok add cooking oil, fry the crushed garlic in low heat until lightly brown and fragrant, dish out and put aside for later use.
• In the same wok, increase the heat to medium, add the chicken and sear both sides, then add in the marinating sauce, give it a toss, add water to cover the chicken, stir to combine and put the lid on.
• During this braising period we need to stir, turn over the chicken often and add more water if the liquid has reduced.  This is to ensure that the chicken are evenly cooked through. Put the lid back on.
• In the process of braising, if the sauce is too light, add some dark soy sauce and taste for correct seasoning.
• Half way through braising, add in the hard boiled eggs, toss and ensure that the eggs are evenly coated with the sauce to come up with nicely golden braised eggs.
• Once the chicken are almost cooked, do not add any more water, taste and add rock sugar, sprinkle in the fried garlic, stir to combine all the ingredients.  At this point the fragrance from the fried garlic will flood your whole house.  The rock sugar will caramelise both the eggs and chicken to come up an appetizing dish with a nice golden colour.
• Turn off the heat, dish out the chicken and eggs onto a serving dish, drizzle with the excess sauce and dinner is ready to be served with a plate of hot fluffy rice!

Notes:  

1. If preferred, you can cut the chicken into bite-size pieces as well as the eggs, but since I am only serving it for 2 persons (myself and hubby), we both prefer it whole.
2. My version of this braised chicken and eggs is slightly sweet and salty, do feel free to adjust to your desired preference.
3. If you prefer more sauce, add more water during the final stage of braising, taste for correct seasoning, let it braise for a minute after adding in the rock sugar and fried garlic, dish out some of the sauce into a bowl and set aside. To have a nice caramelisation of the chicken and eggs it is best to have slightly less sauce in the wok.
4. This recipe works well with 3-layer pork too!

HAPPY COOKING!