MFF 2012 (Melaka) - Ayam Pongteh
Dear friends, I'm back with my mojo to bake and cook again. Great isn't it? But (Japanese:de-mo), I shall stop baking for the time being to respect the cease of my late grandma-in law. Instead of baking, I can still sharpen my skill in cooking too. After reading the announcement from Wendy - Table for 2...Or More the organizer for the Malaysian Food Fest event. I wish to submit one entry here. This month they are promoting food from Melaka state, it can be either sweet or savoury dishes. The host for the MFF this month is Cindy - YummyLittleCooks. I decided to prepare a dish called Ayam Pongteh. One of the common Baba & Nyonya recipe which I got it from my mom. She can't remember where she got it from, maybe from TV show. She has been cooking this several of times. So this round, I give myself a try to cook it. I think most of you know about this dish.
The ingredients with my own modifications:5 - 8 chicken drumsticks (remove the skin)8-10 dried mushroom (soaked)Carrots (sliced)4 potatoes (quartered)1 medium size big onion10 garlic pips1/2 cup Gula Melaka (grated/chop into small pieces)1tbsp soy bean paste1 tbsp dark soy sauce4 tbsp of cooking oilPepper and salt to taste
Method:1. Pounded the onion and garlic together, set aside.2. Pounded the soy bean paste as well. And I mix with dark soy sauce in another bowl.3. Heat up oil and stir fry the pounded onion and garlic. Slowly add in the soy bean paste and fry till fragrant.4. Add in the chicken along with mushrooms, carrots and potatoes.5. Add salt and pepper to taste.6. Pour in some water and leae it to boil.7. Add in Gula Melaka and again let it simmer till cook.8. Served hot with white rice and sambal belacan.
How many of you own this at home? The traditional way to grind/pound chili, garlic and shallots. This is called Lesung Batu. In Hokkien we called "Cheng Ku". In modern days, we used blender already save time. *sorry for the blurred picture*
Ayam Pongteh taste much better the next day. Cos the chickens, potatoes and mushrooms have all the flavor from the soy bean paste and Gula Melaka.
Mum asked me how is my Ayam Pongteh. I said it taste as good as hers..Hehehe. Don't forget to try this simple recipe at home.
I am submitting this post to

Enjoy your weekends everyone!


I cooked this before, pictures took and forgotten to post it, hehehe..Yes, this dish can go with a lot of rice, "Hau Shia Fun"..
ReplyDeleteAgreed Sonia.
DeleteLooks yummy la Angeline!
ReplyDeleteBtw I have done the Versatile Blogger thing, do visit my blog ya!
Hayley,yeah I've read yours. *_^
DeleteI've drop my comment too.
DeleteYou inspire me so much! If only Xiao would eat chicken!!
ReplyDeleteYou can always substitute to pork or beef if you like.
DeleteLooks so delicious. I cooked this a few times only coz my hubby is a Baba so I learn to cook this dish myself. I haven't cooked this for a long time. My Hubby fave dish is chicken curry so I cook curry a lot.
ReplyDeleteIcIc. You must teach me how to cook chicken curry and also your nasi lemak sambal. I notice it really looks nice dipping with cold cucumber. Gwen not afraid of spicy eh... good gal.
DeleteThis is absolutely delish and easy to make. Made my first one last year and now its a regular potluck dish that I whipped out:D
ReplyDeleteYa, it is very simple and easy to cook. Just suits for a beginner cook like me.
DeleteLooks so delicious! Making me hungry just seeing this.
ReplyDeleteMichelle, yeah it is a simple braised stew chicken with a lil bit of Baba Nyonya twist.
Deletedelicious!!the last time i made this, it came with some spices but i think yours more malaccan version. yea, i also hv that lesung batu, it's a great kitchen tool!
ReplyDeleteReally? I'm not sure mine looks like Malaccan version. Thanks Lena
DeleteAngeline. yummy looking. I can just eat this with a bowl of rice.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your compliments.
DeleteHi Angeline, this is one of my children favorite too!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for joining MFF Melaka Month, can you please e-mail me the details? I need it, thank you :)
ok! Actually what details you need?
DeleteOk, I got it! Sent
DeleteThank you :)
DeleteWah, you used that special tool to make this.
ReplyDeleteI'm too lazy to use lesung la.
Ya, mum said it taste better wor.
DeleteI use it all the time. Of course, your mum's tight - it definitely tastes nicer...plus I'm too lazy to take out the food processor, use and take apart to clean all the parts one by one, put out to dry totally...to prevent rust or getting it spoilt...all that hassle and when the time is up, it will just die naturally. So much for these modern-day appliances. - I'd rather stick to my good old ways!
DeleteIt is good to have modern and old ways of appliances...Both are truly useful.
DeleteI thought it would have a lot more sauce or gravy than that? I was in Malacca the other day and dropped by a nyonya restaurant but I did not have ayam ponteh. Watch out for the post - coming soon.
ReplyDeleteYes there was...but the next day gravy soaked up bybthe chicken and the potatoes....
Deleteyou are making my tummy growl!
ReplyDeleteSorry eh
DeleteOh I have this Cheng Ku at home too. But honestly we hardly using it. Your ayam pongteh look really good. I can have only this with rice.
ReplyDeleteSometimes it is good to use Cheng Ku. I also hardly use and sometimes it is quite useful.
DeleteOMG....give me rice now. I want to eat with the chicken
ReplyDeleteLing your ayam pongteh version also taste good too. But I like my chicken looks a bit darker
DeleteAyam Ponteh is a true Melaka dish! I cooked this at least once a month. We love lots of gravy, the leftover gravy is delicious the next day eaten with plain hot steamed mantou! Try it! My kids love to eat the leftovers this way! :0)
ReplyDeleteYeah, I wish to cook this again for my hubby, that day when I cooked it. He was not in.
DeleteI'm a real lover of Peranakan food. Just looking at the outcome of your Ayam Pongteh spurs me to give your recommended recipe a go at it! Hope to try out the recipe very very soon.
ReplyDeleteOlive I miss your blog.
DeleteHi Angeline, your ayam ponteh look so good, very appetizing dish can have extra rice... LOL
ReplyDeleteI have 2 batu lesung of different size, still prefer this than blender especially make sambal belacan.
Have a nice day.
thanks Amelia.
DeleteSmart girl, Amelia, we're in the same gang! Nothing will ever taste the same...nor as good as stuff pounded with the batu lesung - labour of love...a special ingredient! People use blenders - easier, they say but so impersonal...will not taste the same - like things home made & factory made, traditional charcoal oven-baked or electric oven, etc...etc...etc...
DeleteArthur, there's another one called batu giling...heard of it? It is used to grind chilli too.
DeleteNever taste this dish before. I must give it a try some day. Thanks for the sharing, dear.
ReplyDeleteYa, please try.
DeleteHi Angeline,
ReplyDeleteYour melaka ayam pongteh sure look delicious.
i will book mark this..like like like
Have a happy holiday!!