I was craving for some spicy comfort food. The first thing I did was walk into my pantry and pull out the large bag dried chillies that my sister in law had included in a care package for me. I went through a mental check list my favourite sambal dishes as I soaked the spicy dried chillies in a bowl of hot water.
Ayam Masak Merah (red cooked chicken) is a popular Malaysian dish. What makes this dish different from other sambals is the use of aromatic spices such as cinnamon sticks, star anise, cloves and cardamom pods. The spice paste also includes coriander , turmeric, cumin and fennel, all in powder form.
This is a three part recipe. Soak the dried chilies first in hot water until softened and gather all the ingredients to make the spice paste. Give it a whirl in a blender and set aside. Then marinate chicken pieces in salt and turmeric powder for at least one hour before deep frying the chicken briefly. This ensures the juices of the chicken are sealed in and also to prevent the chicken pieces from falling apart while cooking in the spicy paste.
Ayam Masak Merak
You could de-seed the dried chillies if you wish to temper the heat. This dish will be quite spicy otherwise.
Spice Paste (A)
7 small shallots - peeled
5 cloves of garlic - peeled
1 Tb minced fresh ginger
10 - 12 dried chillies - soaked in hot water for at least 20 minutes
1 Tb coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp fennel powder
1 Tb vegetable oil
3/4 cup water
Drain the chillies, place all ingredients in a blender and puree ingredients till smooth.
Chicken (B)
1 medium sized organic chicken (around 3 pounds) - I cut mine into 14 pieces
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
oil for deep frying
Wash and pat dry chicken. Cut into pieces and mix with salt and turmeric powder. Set in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
Bring chicken to room temperature. Heat oil on medium high heat. Fry chicken pieces 1 minute on each side. Drain fried pieces on 2 sheets of kitchen paper.
Saute ingredients
1 small can of tomato paste
4 whole cloves
1 star anise
4 Tb vegetable oil
2 pieces of cinnamon stick
3 cardamom pods - bruised
400 ml coconut milk
salt to taste
2/3 Tb sugar
Heat oil in a large pan or wok. Saute cloves, cardamom pods, star anise and cinnamon sticks for 3 minutes on medium heat. Pour in the pureed spice paste (A) and saute for 15 minutes stirring constantly. Watch that the spice paste does not burn. Add in one small can of tomato paste, salt, sugar, mix well and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add fried pieces of chicken and coconut milk and cook covered until chicken is cooked through. Life the cover and stir occasionally. Lift the cover and cook until sauce thickens. Adjust seasonings and serve with steamed white rice.
Ayam Masak Merah (red cooked chicken) is a popular Malaysian dish. What makes this dish different from other sambals is the use of aromatic spices such as cinnamon sticks, star anise, cloves and cardamom pods. The spice paste also includes coriander , turmeric, cumin and fennel, all in powder form.
This is a three part recipe. Soak the dried chilies first in hot water until softened and gather all the ingredients to make the spice paste. Give it a whirl in a blender and set aside. Then marinate chicken pieces in salt and turmeric powder for at least one hour before deep frying the chicken briefly. This ensures the juices of the chicken are sealed in and also to prevent the chicken pieces from falling apart while cooking in the spicy paste.
Ayam Masak Merak
You could de-seed the dried chillies if you wish to temper the heat. This dish will be quite spicy otherwise.
Spice Paste (A)
7 small shallots - peeled
5 cloves of garlic - peeled
1 Tb minced fresh ginger
10 - 12 dried chillies - soaked in hot water for at least 20 minutes
1 Tb coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp fennel powder
1 Tb vegetable oil
3/4 cup water
Drain the chillies, place all ingredients in a blender and puree ingredients till smooth.
Chicken (B)
1 medium sized organic chicken (around 3 pounds) - I cut mine into 14 pieces
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
oil for deep frying
Wash and pat dry chicken. Cut into pieces and mix with salt and turmeric powder. Set in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
Bring chicken to room temperature. Heat oil on medium high heat. Fry chicken pieces 1 minute on each side. Drain fried pieces on 2 sheets of kitchen paper.
Saute ingredients1 small can of tomato paste
4 whole cloves
1 star anise
4 Tb vegetable oil
2 pieces of cinnamon stick
3 cardamom pods - bruised
400 ml coconut milk
salt to taste
2/3 Tb sugar
Heat oil in a large pan or wok. Saute cloves, cardamom pods, star anise and cinnamon sticks for 3 minutes on medium heat. Pour in the pureed spice paste (A) and saute for 15 minutes stirring constantly. Watch that the spice paste does not burn. Add in one small can of tomato paste, salt, sugar, mix well and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add fried pieces of chicken and coconut milk and cook covered until chicken is cooked through. Life the cover and stir occasionally. Lift the cover and cook until sauce thickens. Adjust seasonings and serve with steamed white rice.
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