Ayam Sioh is a rich, tangy chicken dish from the Nyonya community in Singapore and Malaysia. It’s a vibrant fusion of Chinese and Malay influences with a flavour that’s nothing short of spectacular.
Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
What is Ayam Sioh?
Ayam Sioh is a traditional Nyonya chicken stew made with tamarind and coriander, creating a unique sweet-savoury-sour flavour that’s beautifully balanced and deeply satisfying.
The chicken is marinated and then braised slowly in a dark, aromatic gravy that’s packed with umami, thanks to the combination of tamarind paste, soy sauce, onions and roasted coriander seeds. The result? A tender, deeply flavoured dish that practically melts in your mouth.
What’s in a Name?
Ayam is chicken, which you’ll know if you’re local or have been a longtime follower of mine. We have sooo many ayam recipes on this site! Or in Malay, that would be resepi ayam!
The word sioh refers to the gravy in this recipe, sweet and sour with strong flavours of tamarind.
Who are the Nyonyas?
Click here to read more about the Nyonyas (women) and Babas (men), also known as Peranakans.
Basically, they are descendants of Chinese immigrants who settled in parts of Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia centuries ago. They married into local Malay and Indonesian communities and developed a unique culture, cuisine, and language.
In Singapore and Malaysia, they settled in Malacca and Penang, making these two glorious areas pockets of culture.
You can read a little more about Malacca on this post on LinsFood, if you fancy.
Nyonya cooking, as it’s often called, is all about love, layers of flavour, and taking the time to do it right. Ayam Sioh is no exception.
More than just a Recipe
Ayam Sioh isn’t just a dish, it’s a Nyonya heritage recipe. It’s comfort, nostalgia, and culture all simmered into one pot. This is heritage cooking at its best.
It’s a Peranakan classic, often cooked for family gatherings, festive occasions, and Chinese New Year celebrations.
For many Peranakan families, it’s a dish that tastes like home. The scent of coriander and tamarind wafting through the kitchen signals that something special is on the table.
It actually started life as Itek Sioh, basically the same dish but cooked with duck. Over the years, chicken became the meat of choice, as it was more accessible and also meant that the recipe was no longer reserved for special occasions.
The Ingredients
This Nyonya chicken stew uses basic ingredients that are easy to come by. Let’s take a look at the 3 main ingredients and the sugar.
Chicken
Nyonya households and restaurants will use a whole chicken, chopped up into pieces to cook a traditional Ayam Sioh. Do that if you like.
But as you know from all my other chicken recipes here, I much prefer to use chicken portions. Chicken thighs are always my preferred cut, for their deeper flavour. I also like to throw in some drumsticks to add even more depth.
My suggestion to you would be whatever you use, make sure that it’s on the bone, which your gravy will thank you for.
I’ve given you the total weight of the chicken portions here (1 kg/2.2 lb) and a serving for 6 people. How many servings you get will depend on the size of the portions, and also, if you are serving this Nyonya chicken stew with anything else.
Tamarind
Click here to read up more about this sour ingredient, and how to go from pulp to juice.
One of the 2 flavour stars in this Peranakan chicken dish, you wants lots of tamarind. I’ve given you the weight of tamarind pulp in this recipe, with the equvalent amounts in the notes in the recipe card below, if using shop bought tamarind paste/juice.
Just a note: if using shop bought tamarind, look for one with a high level of tamarind and as little additives as possible. Not all shop bought tamarind is created equal, so how much you use will depend on its strength.
Coriander
We use a whopping 4 tablespoons of coriander seeds in this recipe. To get the best result when making this Nyonya chicken recipe is to dry roast your coriander seeds and grind them to a powder. This will give you the freshest taste and aroma.
Coriander has a citrusy flavour and fragrance that is often lost in shop bought powders.
But if you don’t have a grinder for spices (coffee grinder), then go ahead with the powdered form.
Sugar
White sugar is the sugar of choice for many families when cooking ayam sioh. Having said that, it’s not uncommon to see a mixture of white and gula melaka (palm sugar)
Ayam Sioh Recipe
The traditional recipe, as mentioned above, is a labour of love, taking 3 days before it’s ready to be eaten. But that’s not a bad thing, as that means this is a make ahead Nyonya recipe! Got to love make ahead recipes, no?
- Day 1: marinate overnight (hands on time – 20 minutes)
- Day 2: cook, then keep overnight (cooking time – 45 minutes, or so)
- Day 3: serve up
I still do this, because, why not?
However, if you haven’t got the time, nor patience, marinate it for an hour, and serve it immediately, keeping the leftovers for the next day. It’ll still be absolutely delicious. See recipe card below for the full instructions.
To Fry or Not to Fry?
You’ll see in the recipe below, and in the video, I fry the chicken pieces briefly jut to brown them.
Not everybody does this, so it’s optional. I never skip it as browning the chicken portions before braising them adds a delicious caramel flavour to the chicken.
I shall leave this up to you.
How to Serve Ayam Sioh
This Peranakan chicken dish is best served with steamed jasmine rice to soak up that luscious gravy. Pair it with simple stir-fried greens or a tangy cucumber salad to contrast the richness. And sambal belacan, don’t forget the sambal!
This spicy kerabu timun (cucumber salad) is perfect, it gives you the sambal and the vegetables in one!
You can keep it simple or serve it as part of a bigger meal.
How Long Does Ayam Sioh Keep?
The good news is: Ayam Sioh tastes even better the next day. The flavours deepen overnight, making it a great make-ahead dish, as mentioned above. Simply store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
If you’re making a big batch, you can also freeze it for up to 2 months. Just be sure to reheat it gently – preferably on the hob rather than the microwave – to preserve the texture and flavour.
If you’ve never tried Ayam Sioh before, now’s the time to bring this soulful Nyonya dish into your kitchen. It’s a celebration of tradition, taste, and time-honoured cooking – and the best part? It’s surprisingly simple to make.
Have you made Ayam Sioh before? Or perhaps your family has their own special twist? Share your stories in the comments – I’d love to hear from you!
If you like the recipe, drop me a comment to let me know. And if you’re feeling like a star, don’t forget that 5-star rating! Thank you!
If you make the recipe, share it on Instagram and tag me @azlinbloor, and hashtag it #linsfood
Lin xx
Ayam Sioh Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 kg chicken portions a mixture of thighs, drumsticks, etc
- 250 ml vegetable oil only if you are browning the chicken
- 250 ml water
Tamarind (skip if using shop bought)
- 200 g tamarind pulp
- 250 ml hot water
Marinade
- tamarind juice, from above or 125 ml (½ cup) shop bought paste
- 4 Tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 Tbsp white peppercorns
- 2 medium onions about 200g pre peeled weight
- 2 Tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp light soy sauce
- ½ tsp salt
- 4 Tbsp sugar
Instructions
Soak Tamarind Pulp
- Soak the tamarind pulp in the hot water for 15 minutes.200 g tamarind pulp, 250 ml hot water
- At the end of the 15 minutes, mash it up with your hands and scoop out the seeds and any string or grit.Only use a sieve if you have a fairly large mesh sieve. Straining your tamarind will mean you don't get all the pulpy essence.We'll be adding this to the marinade.
Coriander Seeds and White Peppercorns
- Dry roast the coriander seeds on medium-low heat for 2 -3 minutes, until you get a warm, citrusy aroma.4 Tbsp coriander seeds, 1 Tbsp white peppercorns
- Tip out onto a plate to cool and to stop from burning.
- When cool enough, (about 5 minutes), grind to a fine powder in your spice or coffee grinder.
Make the Marinade
- Peel and quarter the onions. Then chop up to a fine paste in a food chopper or with a pestle and mortar.Add to a roomy bowl.2 medium onions
- Tip in all the other marinade ingredients and mix well.tamarind juice, from above, 2 Tbsp dark soy sauce, 1 Tbsp light soy sauce, ½ tsp salt, 4 Tbsp sugar
Marinate
- Place the chicken portions in a large bowl and marinate rub the marinade all over, getting between th efolds and under the skin.1 kg chicken portions
- Cover with a clingfilm and place in the fridge to marinate overnight.At th every least, give it an hour.
Let's get Cooking
- Optional Step: lightly frying the chicken (read article above)If you are not frying head to step 5 below.Take the chicken out of the fridge 30 minutes before you start to allow it to come to room temperature a little.Heat the oil in a large saucepan or wok on medium-high heat.250 ml vegetable oil
- Shake as much of the marinade off the chicken pieces as possible, and fry them for 2 minutes on each side to brown.Do this in 2 batches if your pan/wok isn't wide enough. We'll be using the same pan/wok to cook our Ayam Sioh.
- Take them out and drain on a plate lined with kitchen paper.
- Lose all the oil from your pan/wok, straining with a metal sieve to catch all the crispy bits of marinade. Place it back on the stove on medium-high heat.
- Tip everything back into the pan/wok (chicken and leftover marinade) along with the water. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and cook on a simmer for 45 minutes, uncovered.Stir a couple of times during this period.Chicken on the bone will need 45 minutes for it to be meltingly soft and falling off the bone. Unless your portions are really small. Then go for 30 minutes.If you are using boness chicken piece, then 30 minutes will do.250 ml water
- When done, stir well and taste. You want a sweet, sour and savoury finish. If you think it's not sour enough, stir in a little more tamarind to your liking, and heat through. Likewise the sugar.Don't forget to also add a little more salt if necessary.
- To serve or not to serve? This is completely up to you.Leave it overnight (on the kitchen counter will do) or serve immediately as suggested above.I always make a big batch and have some for a few days.
Just made this and what a wonderful and simple recipe, yet so flavourful! Thank you!
I’m so pleased to hear that, John. Thank you for taking the time to let me know.