Malaysian Chicken Rendang

Rendang is a type of thick curry that originated in Indonesia but variations of it has become popular throughout Malaysia and Singapore. Typically, rendang uses coconut milk to bring together the sauce but this special family recipe uses lime juice instead. It freshens up the flavor of the sauce and gives a nice citrus twist to all the various spices. The resulting flavor is a complex mix of sweet, sour, salty and spicy. This dish will certainly awaken all your taste buds!

Malaysian Chicken Rendang Recipe

Serves 10-12

Rempah* (spice paste)

• 2 inch galangal, peeled
• 3 stalks lemongrass, slice bottom stalk finely
• 10-12 buah keras (candlenuts)
• 2 inch yellow ginger (turmeric), peeled
• 3 big cloves garlic, peeled
• 5-10 dried chilies or to taste
• 10 oz (over 20) shallots, peeled
• 1 sq inch belachan (fermented shrimp paste)
• 8 Tablespoons meat curry powder

*For my friends who live in non-Asian countries, you can find these ingredients at your nearest Asian markets.

Main ingredients

• 1 whole chicken, cut into pieces
• 8 chicken drumsticks
• 3 large potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters

Additional items

• Oil
• 1 Tablespoon salt
• 2 pandan leaves, separately knotted
• 1 to 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 1 Tablespoon dark soy sauce
• 1 Tablespoon light soy sauce
• 2 cups hot water
• 1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice

Method:

Blend the spices, chilies, candlenuts, garlic, shallots and belachan together until they become a thick paste. Stir in 6 tablespoons of curry powder. Set aside.

Marinade the chicken pieces with 1 tablespoon of salt, 2 tablespoons of curry powder and 2 tablespoons of spice paste.  Marinade 30 min to overnight. The longer you marinade, the more flavorful the chicken will be. Reserve the rest of the unused spice paste.

Heat up a few cups of oil in a large wok. Add a pinch of salt and one of the knotted pandan leaves. When the oil is hot and ready, remove the pandan leaf and add the potatoes. Fry until golden brown and remove onto plate with paper towels to drain the oil.

Add more oil and a pinch of salt to the same wok. When it is hot, deep fry the chicken pieces until golden brown and remove.

In a large pan, add a few tablespoons of oil. Add the pandan leaf and a pinch of salt, and remove the leaf when the oil is hot and ready. Fry the remaining spice paste with 1 tablespoon salt, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce and 1 tablespoon light sauce. Fry until fragrant and mix in the chicken pieces and potato. Stir everything together. Add 2 cups of hot water and 1 cup of lime juice. Taste and if needed, add another ½ or 1 tablespoon sugar. Simmer until the sauce evaporates a little more and becomes thick.

Enjoy with rice or a French loaf.