{"id":23386,"date":"2019-10-25T13:07:14","date_gmt":"2019-10-25T05:07:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tasteasianfood.com\/?p=23386"},"modified":"2020-05-27T17:07:31","modified_gmt":"2020-05-27T09:07:31","slug":"marmite-chicken","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tasteasianfood.com\/mystaging\/marmite-chicken\/","title":{"rendered":"Marmite Chicken – How to prepare in four quick steps"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Today I want to introduce to you Marmite chicken (\u5988\u871c\u9e21)<\/strong>, an Asian twist of the yeast extract Marmite made in the UK. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a thin line between love and hate when we talk about Marmite. People like its intense flavor, but others find it too concentrated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although Marmite is traditionally used as a spread <\/strong>for bread and toast, the Chinese think that the flavor is too strong to consume undiluted. As a result, they incorporate Marmite as a part component of the thick sauce and to coat on fried chicken serve along with steamed rice. That is how Marmite chicken was invented.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marmite<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Note: This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my\u00a0privacy policy<\/a>\u00a0for more info. I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is Marmite, and how is it made?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Marmite is a dark, thick yeast extract<\/strong> with high umami as the by-product of brewing beer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was conceived in the 1900s in Burton, a town in Staffordshire, England. Marmite’s distinctive flavor has caused a great divide among the consumer, either they become a liker or hater. It is hard to describe how it tastes. The closest I can relate to is salty beer<\/strong>! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This stinky yeast paste was subsequently added to soldiers’ rations during World War One, due to the high concentration of Vitamin B. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Subsequently, Marmite was exported to Australia and New Zealand. A similar product was made in Melbourne called Vegemite <\/strong>in response to the disruption of the import of Marmite due to the war. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The differences between Marmite and Vegemite <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Both Marmite and Vegemite are interchangeable <\/strong>in culinary. Vegemite has a thicker consistency and a darker color. Marmite has a milder flavor with a tinge of sweetness as compared to the Australian version. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether you are a hater of a cult follower of Marmite, you should at least try the Marmite chicken once! I grew up eating Marmite on toast, diluting Marmite with water as soup and now cooking chicken with Marmite, I vouch the taste is so superb that you will not regret trying it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Find<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

How to cook Marmite chicken Chinese style <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This Malaysian Marmite chicken recipe \u5988\u871c\u9e21 is popular among the Chinese restaurant and the roadside stir-fry joints (\u5927\u7092\u6863) in Malaysia. The chicken is served on a bed of lettuce, with some cucumber and tomato slices at the side. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Note<\/strong>: This Marmite chicken recipe is also referred to as Vegemite marinated chicken in some recipes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This recipe is based on the general method of preparing Marmite chicken at the local stores. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Marinate the chicken <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

First, marinate the chicken with light soy sauce, cooking oil, white pepper, rice wine, and some cornstarch. Light soy sauce<\/strong> adds flavor to the chicken, which also takes the place of salt in the marinade. Cooking oil <\/strong>moistens the meat, which is especially useful for the less juicy breast meat. White pepper<\/strong> is the standard seasoning in Chinese cooking. Rice wine<\/strong> contributes to flavor and tenderizes the meat. Lastly, cornstarch <\/strong>binds the liquid components with the chicken. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am using chicken thigh meat<\/strong>, debone, and skin off in this formula. However, chicken thigh and breast are the most popular parts, but it is nice to use chicken wings for its texture and presentation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After mixing the marinade with the chicken, I keep it in the refrigerator for half an hour<\/strong> to let the flavor penetrate the meat before deep-frying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you choose to leave the bone in, you have to marinate it for a long er period. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The flavor of Marmite has a reputation of being unusual that garners massive followers. The company that makes Marmite reckons that it is an acquired taste. In the UK, they even produce a ‘mind control’ video <\/a>to promote the Marmite to the hater that “If you’re a Marmite Hater, you’ve just taken the first step on the journey towards becoming a Marmite Lover.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Deep-frying the chicken <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We use an electric deep fryer<\/a> in the restaurant. It does not only have larger capacity but, more importantly, equipped with a frying basket to hold the chicken so that it will not sink to the bottom, which results in uneven cooking. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, even the smallest electric deep fryer still requires two liters of oil, which is too much for an average home kitchen. Therefore, I decided to deep-fry the chicken in a frying pan<\/a>, which reduce the amount of oil required significantly. Since the chicken pieces are only half-submerged in the oil and not suspended in the deep fryer basket, I need to flip the chicken every few minutes to let all the chicken pieces are cooked evenly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The chicken pieces should be coated with egg white,<\/strong> and subsequently with cornstarch right before dropping into the pan. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The egg white forms a protective layer on the chicken, effectively preventing too much oil from penetrating the meat. The cornstarch <\/strong>creates a crispy exterior and protects the meat from losing its juiciness due to direct heat from the oil. I also mix a small amount of baking soda<\/strong> with the cornstarch to make sure it becomes crispy and crunchy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are the steps :<\/h4>\n\n\n\n