Soy Sauce Chicken in the Varoma

[Thermomixer]

Name of Recipe: Soy Sauce Chicken in the Varoma


Number of People: 4

Ingredients:

1 x 1.3 kg chicken
2 garlic cloves
2 cm piece of fresh ginger
1 cup shao hsing wine, or dry sherry
1/2 cup dark soy sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 star anise
1 cinnamon quill
2 strips of orange rind, cut
with vegetable peeler
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1200 g water
4 spring onions, trimmed and cut in half
Cornflour, to thicken sauce, if desired

Preparation:

Place the garlic and ginger into the TM bowl and mince for 15 seconds on speed 7. Add all other ingredients except water, chicken and spring onions to TM bowl and cook for 20 minutes at 100°C on reverse + speed 2.

Wash the chicken and remove any excess fat from the cavity. Place the spring onions inside the cavity and then push down on the back bone of the bird to flatten it a little. Now, either place the chicken into a roasting bag or, breast side down, into a deep dish that will fit into the Varoma and place marinade in the bag or dish. Leave any marinade that does not fit into the bag or bowl in the TM bowl. Place the bag or bowl inside the Varoma.

Put more water into the TM bowl to make up to 1200 ml, position the lid and then Varoma and steam the chicken for 30 minutes at Varoma temperature on speed 2. If using the bowl, you will need to carefully turn over the bird during cooking to allow it to be properly marinated.


After the steaming time has elapsed, if the bird is in the roasting bag and completely immersed in liquid, then just leave in the bag for 2 hours to cool. If you have used a bowl, then carefully remove the chicken to a pot or dish that will allow you to completely immerse the bird with marinade form the dish in the Varoma and the liquid from the TM bowl. Again, leave to cool for 2 hours.

Once cooked, carefully remove to a tray to drain and cool. Place 500ml of the marinade in the TM bowl and cook for 15 minutes at Varoma temperature on speed 3. You may add some cornflour mixed with water to thicken the sauce more. Allow to cool.

To serve, chop chicken into serving pieces and arrange on a platter and spoon over some sauce.



This was originally posted here: http://thermomix-er.blogspot.com/2009/04/soy-chicken-in-varoma.html

members' comments

Sundari - Overall a big thumbs up!

JD - I've made this recipe twice, once with Maryland portions and once with a whole small chicken.  I use boiling water not cold and I cooked the Marylands for 30 minutes then seeped 1.5 hours.  With the whole chicken I stuck to the recipe which was 20 minutes and seeped for 2 hours but then had to zap it for 5 minutes in the microwave as it wasn't quite cooked.  I would therefore cook it for at least 30 minutes, maybe even 45 minutes to be sure next time.
I later reduced all the leftover steaming liquid rather than waste it (in a pan on the stove because it is quicker than doing it in the TMX) and now have a couple of packs of lovely soy sauce for stir fry dishes.
The recipe in the Taste of Asia book is a lot quicker to do.

Thermomixer - It does actually work better in pieces as the marinating etc is easier.

Sundara - didn't have time to rest it for 2 hours so I steamed it for an extra 15 min or so in the varoma and then let it sit in marinade for 45 min-hour before consuming. I thickened the sauce with some cornflour and YUMMO. The breast was a little dry but I wonder if that was because of the extra steaming time. Overall a big thumbs up!

becforward - I followed all the instructions and just went to carve the chicken and it's completely raw!...what have I done wrong? still a very green thermomixer!! I've put it back into the varoma to keep cooking.

CarolineW - We had this using chicken drumsticks and it was lovely.  I used the same timings to be on the safe side.  The whole family gave it 4.5 out of 5 (I'm not sure if we've ever had a savoury 5 out of 5 - 4.5 is high praise indeed)

Hally - we love this easy chicken dish. The largest chicken I have managed weighed 1.6 kg with a lot of pushing, LOL.

cecilia - The one in the Asian recipe book says 1.2kg but I've used 1.6kg and even 1.7kg squeezed in once.  Some of the chook pops up through the MC hole but you put a soup bowl over it so it all cooks.  Remember the parson's nose and extra bits of fat are trimmed off first.

Thermesa - made this but had a few teething errors. Will cook again now I've worked out my issues but really looking forward to leftovers.
I cooked the rice in the stock so it wasn't all wasted.

[Gralke]

It loks very tasty - my tm is in service a the moment but I will try this recipe when it returns.
Thank you
Barbara

[Sundari]

Trying this recipe tonight. First time using the varoma.
I probably won't have time to rest it for 2 hours, and I don't have a roasting bag so am using a china dish in the bottom of the varoma. Will update later.
the smell is divine

[Thermomixer]

Sorry, got to it too late - if you don't ahve time to rest it - then cook a bit longer

The texture is superb if allowed to slowly cook, but OK to steam for longer

[Sundari]

I steamed it for an extra 15min or so in the varoma and then let it sit in marinade for 45min-hour before consuming.
I thickened the sauce with some cornflour and YUMMO.

The breast was a little dry but I wonder if that was because of the extra steaming time.

Overall a big thumbs up!

[spanner]

am doing this now .... of course it helps if you actually read the recipie ALL the way THROUGH first.

I just waisted the marinade as I read 'put all ingredients in except chicken and spring onions" so I puit in the 1200 g of water ....  BEFORE I did the first cook!!!

doh!!!

Well after a little screaming match between me and the computer screen and the screaming kids I have finally regained my composure and am ready to start steaming the chook.

Hope it all works well as the brother in law is comming to dinner tonight ... kind of unanounced but announced!?!

Wish me well.

[Thermomixer]

Sorry - looks like I'm as bad as TMX Oz with unreliable recipes.

Have fixed it up - thanks for pointing it out.  Probably would still have worked    but less intense.

[spanner]

 

definitly nmot you TMer as Sundari amnaged to do it perfectly.

I am reknown for my inability to read directions even when they are just pictures like you get on new printers and stuff so reading a food recipie is a recipie for DISASTER!

[Thermomixer]

No - I take responsibilty - I wish more people would tell me where the mixtakes are.  I know they are there - not deliberately 

[judydawn]

This has been on my 'to do' list for almost a year and I finally got around to it today.  Reading the recipe sounds like it has to be eaten cold but we had it hot with the Chinese style vegies from the EDC and it was delicious.  DH says to tell you it gets the thumbs up from him too.

I used 3 chicken marylands ($2.94 - now where can you buy a whole chicken at that price ) which fitted nicely into the dish I placed into the varoma.  I cut off all the loose fat and pockets of fat under the skin but left some of the skin on and steamed it for 30 mins.  Placed it in the thermosaver for 1.5 hours then made the sauce and thickened it.  The chicken was still hot enough to serve without reheating. Whilst it was resting I made the stir fried vegies and placed them into a casserole dish (would have used a thermosaver if I had another one) then just had to zap that for 4 mins later when I served the meal. I have frozen the leftover sauce to use over my next lot of stir fried vegies.  Did I say it was delicious    Good one Thermomixer, thanks a lot for posting it.

[achookwoman]

Thermomixer,  your recipe and JD's recommendation ,  how could we go wrong.

[Thermomixer]

Thanks - and good work JD - I have made it with chicken pieces and it is easier.  Think this was a challenge from somebody to see if you could cook a whole chook for presentation purposes.

This is another for mycornucopia to think about for Asian inspired dishes - it was based on a Kylie Kwong dish.

It does actually work better in pieces as the marinating etc is easier.

[becforwood]

I'm new to this forum, new to thermomix and live in Singapore!  my husband gave me one for my b'day in march (after much bugging that all my friends in melbourne seem to have one and I loved the sound of it!) - unfortunately he couldn't buy it in Australia for warranty purposes so we had to get it from the Malaysian distributor - amazing he can get away with his poor service - he had the machine fedexed to me and told me he wouldn't come to Singapore (only 45 mins away) to give me a demo but to look for one on You Tube!!!..and he never replies to my emails with questions on how to use it!

So until I went back to Melbourne for Easter I had no idea how to use it - my friend who is a distributor gave me a demo and now I'm hooked on beetroot salad!

Anyway - the reason I am writing is to say I am in the middle of making this divine chicken - it's now in the bag in the varoma dish and smells amazing - can't wait to eat it tonight!

I love this forum - now don't feel as worried about not having my local thermomix distributor close by!

Thanks!

[versaceyoyo]

you won't need your consultant now that you've found this goldmine!  the knowledge and generosity on here is amazing!

[becforwood]

I must be the only person who has had a disaster with this - I followed all the instructions and just went to carve the chicken and it's completely raw!...what have I done wrong? still a very green thermomixer!!

I've put it back into the varoma to keep cooking....hopefully it will cook soon.