See Yao Gai

Chinese
Chinese New Year
Gluten-Free
Leafy
Mains
One-pot
Poultry
Rice

Easy Level:

Cook Time:

Servings:

3-4 Pax

What’s one dish that instantly brings you back to your mum’s kitchen? For Anna, it’s See Yao Gai — a comforting soy-braised chicken her mum used to cook in big batches, the kind of dish that filled the house with a warm, savoury aroma and gave you something to look forward to all day. 

For Mother’s Day, Ili Sulaiman recreates this deeply personal recipe, celebrating the everyday meals that quietly become our most treasured memories.

See Yao Gai is all about simple ingredients treated with care. The chicken is gently braised until tender, soaking up a glossy, umami-rich sauce perfumed with aromatic spices. You get juicy meat, savoury depth from the soy sauces, and a comforting, homey richness that’s perfect with a bowl of hot white rice. 

It’s the kind of dish that tastes even better the next day, once the flavours have had time to settle in.

Ingredients

Adjust Servings
US / Metric
0.00
pcs
pcs
Chicken thighs
0.00
pcs
pcs
Chicken thighs
0.00
pcs
pcs
Star anise
0.00
pcs
pcs
Star anise
0.00
cloves
cloves
Garlic
0.00
cloves
cloves
Garlic
0.00
tbsp
tbsp
Light soy sauce
0.00
tbsp
tbsp
Light soy sauce
0.00
tbsp
tbsp
Dark soy sauce
0.00
tbsp
tbsp
Dark soy sauce
0.00
tbsp
tbsp
Oil
0.00
tbsp
tbsp
Oil
Water
Water

Steps

1

Heat a pot over medium heat and add oil.
Heat a pot over medium heat and add oil.
Mark as completed

2

Drop in the star anise and garlic. Let them sizzle for about 1 minute until aromatic.
Drop in the star anise and garlic. Let them sizzle for about 1 minute until aromatic.
Mark as completed

3

Add the chicken thighs to the pot. Brown them until golden on one side, then flip and brown the other side.
Add the chicken thighs to the pot. Brown them until golden on one side, then flip and brown the other side.
Mark as completed

4

Pour in the dark soy sauce and light soy sauce. Toss the chicken so every piece gets nicely coated in that glossy sauce.
Pour in the dark soy sauce and light soy sauce. Toss the chicken so every piece gets nicely coated in that glossy sauce.
Mark as completed

5

Add enough water to come halfway up the chicken. Bring everything to a lively boil.
Add enough water to come halfway up the chicken. Bring everything to a lively boil.
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6

Lower the heat and let the chicken simmer gently for about 10 minutes.
Lower the heat and let the chicken simmer gently for about 10 minutes.
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7

Flip the chicken pieces, then simmer for another 10 minutes until the sauce looks rich and the chicken is tender.
Flip the chicken pieces, then simmer for another 10 minutes until the sauce looks rich and the chicken is tender.
Mark as completed

8

Taste the sauce. If you want a darker, deeper colour, splash in a little more dark soy sauce and stir it through.
Taste the sauce. If you want a darker, deeper colour, splash in a little more dark soy sauce and stir it through.
Mark as completed

9

Serve hot with fluffy white rice so you can soak up every drop of that savoury, aromatic sauce.
Serve hot with fluffy white rice so you can soak up every drop of that savoury, aromatic sauce.
Mark as completed

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