How to braise chicken so it's not tough and more savory? Here's a food hack using 1 simple ingredient

foto ilustrasi: YouTube/Enny Tangerang

Marinating chicken may seem easy, but there are a few tricks you need to know to get the best results.

Brilio.net - Who doesn't like braised chicken? Chicken braised with rich spices, then fried until the skin is crispy, is always a favorite. However, people often experience problems when making their own braised chicken at home: the meat is tough , the spices don't soak in well, or it's even too dry. Don't worry, you're not alone! Many people experience the same thing. But don't worry, there's a simple food hack that can make your homemade braised chicken super tender, savory, and the spices soak right into the bone. Curious? Read this article until the end!

Marinating chicken may seem easy, but there are some tricks you need to know to get maximum results. The marinating process aims to allow the spices to penetrate perfectly into the chicken meat. In addition, by marinating it first, the chicken will cook faster when fried and you don't need to worry about the inside being raw. Well, the food hack that BrilioFood will discuss this time will focus on how to make marinated chicken not only cooked and flavorful, but also have a tender texture and a savory taste that is addictive.

Before we get into the food hack, its important to understand why braised chicken is often tough. Some of the contributing factors include:

- Chicken Quality: Chicken that is not fresh or has been stored in the refrigerator for too long tends to have a tougher texture.

- Incorrect Braising Duration: Braising the chicken for too short a time will prevent the spices from being absorbed properly and the meat will become tough. Conversely, braising for too long can also make the meat dry and tough.

- Too High a Heat: Cooking chicken over too high a heat will cause the outside of the chicken to cook faster than the inside, resulting in the meat not being tender.

- Lack of Acid: Lack of acidic elements in the marinade also has an effect. Acidic ingredients help break down meat fibers, making them more tender.

The food hack we will use this time is to add tamarind water to the marinade. Tamarind water has several important benefits, namely:

- Tenderizes Meat: The acid content in tamarind water helps break down the fibers in chicken meat, making it more tender and easier to chew.

- Eliminates Fishy Smell: Tamarind water is effective in eliminating the fishy smell of chicken, making the braised chicken taste fresher and more delicious.

- Balancing Flavor: The sour taste of tamarind water provides balance to the savory and spicy flavors of the marinade, resulting in a more complex and delicious flavor.

Here is a recipe for chicken marinated in tamarind water that you can try at home:

Material:

- 1 chicken, cut into 8-10 pieces
- 1 lime, take the juice
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 lime leaves
- 2 stalks of lemongrass, bruised
- 2 cm galangal, bruised
- 2 tablespoons of tamarind water (from 1 tablespoon of tamarind dissolved in 50 ml of water)
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt (to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon of powdered stock (optional)
- Sufficient cooking oil

Ground spices:

- 6 cloves of shallot
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 3 candlenuts, roasted
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 piece of turmeric
- 1 piece of ginger

1. Rub the Chicken with Lime: Wash the chicken thoroughly, then rub it with lime juice. Let it sit for 15 minutes to remove the fishy smell. After that, wash it again until clean.

2. Puree the spices: Mix all the spices together, then blend or grind until completely smooth.

3. Saute the Spices: Heat a little cooking oil in a pan. Saute the ground spices until fragrant and cooked. Add bay leaves, lime leaves, lemongrass, and galangal, stir well.

4. Add Chicken and Tamarind Water: Add the chicken pieces to the pan. Stir well until the chicken is coated with the spices. Pour in the tamarind water, add brown sugar, salt, and stock powder (if using). Stir well.

5. Braise the Chicken: Pour enough water so that the chicken is completely submerged. Cook the chicken over medium heat until the spices are absorbed and the water reduces. Stir occasionally so that the spices are evenly distributed and do not burn. This braising process takes about 45-60 minutes, or until the chicken is completely tender and the spices thicken.

6. Fried Chicken: After the chicken is marinated, remove and drain. Heat a large amount of cooking oil in a frying pan. Fry the chicken until golden brown. Remove and drain the oil.

7. Serve: Chicken marinated in tamarind water is ready to be served with warm rice, chili sauce, and fresh vegetables.

- Choose Fresh Chicken: The quality of the chicken greatly affects the final result. Choose chicken that is fresh and does not smell.
- Use Medium Heat: Avoid cooking chicken over high heat, as this will burn the outside of the chicken while the inside is not fully cooked.
- Don't Stir Too Often: Stirring the chicken too often while it is cooking can cause the meat to fall apart. Just stir occasionally so that the seasoning is evenly distributed.
- Store the remaining braised chicken: The remaining braised chicken that has not been fried can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer for future side dish stock.
- Experiment with Seasonings: Feel free to add other seasonings to taste, such as a little curry powder or ground turmeric for a more interesting color.

(brl/tin)