Chicken Rendang/Rendang Ayam…...whether you like it dry or with lots of gravy....it is a favorite of young and old. Today's RECIPE is a less spicy version but you can double the dried chillies for a spicier dish. Don’t discard the chill seeds if you prefer a more spicy version.

Recipe by Mama Ding

Total Time | 70 mins

Prep Time | 30 mins

Cook Time | 40 mins

Servings : 4 - 6

Ingredients

1.8 kg chicken, chopped into 14 pieces
500 ml thick coconut milk/santan
120 g toasted grated coconut/kerisik
1 tsp salt or to taste
2 tbsp sugar or to taste
2 turmeric leaf/daun kunyit, vein removed and sliced finely
5 - 6 kaffir lime leaf/daun limau purut, vein removed and sliced finely
2 stalks lemongrass/serai, smashed
3 pandan leaves/daun pandan, knotted
3 tbsp cooking oil
For the spice paste (pound or blend) ~
10 shallots, peeled
1 red onion, peeled and sliced into chunks
3 cloves garlic, peeled
2 cm piece of galangal/lengkuas, peeled
2 cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled
2 cm piece of fresh turmeric, peeled
5 red chillies, deseeded
8 dried chillies; cut, seeds removed, soaked in hot water for 15 mins
10 stalks lemongrass(white part only), sliced
2 tbsp coriander powder/serbuk ketumbar
1 tbsp aniseed powder/serbuk jintan manis
1 tbsp cumin powder/serbuk jintan putih

Method

01 Clean and chop the chicken. Marinate the chicken pieces with 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp turmeric powder. Set aside while you prepare the spice paste.

02 Prepare the spice paste by pounding with a mortar and pestle or blending with a blender. Blend/pound the shallots, onion, garlic, galangal, turmeric, red chillies, dried chillies and lemongrass till you get a smooth paste. Stir in the coriander powder, aniseed powder and cumin powder to mix well. Set aside.

03 In a wok/pan, heat up the cooking oil and saute the spice paste with the smashed lemongrass and knotted pandan leaves until fragrant and the oil separates, about 15 mins. Stir continuously and use medium heat. When the oil rises to the surface, it is ready for the next step.

04 Add in the marinated chicken and stir to mix well. Add the coconut milk and bring to a boil while stirring. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 20 mins or more; until it is almost dry. If you prefer more gravy, simmer for a shorter time.

05 Add the toasted coconut/kerisik and mix well.

Season with salt and sugar. Taste and adjust seasoning according to your preference.

06 Cook for 5 mins more before adding the sliced turmeric leaves and kaffir lime leaves.

Turn off heat and dish out to serve.
Garnish with more sliced turmeric leaves, if desired.

Dish up and serve with rice, bread or quinoa.

Notes

We cooked ours with slightly more gravy because we love the gravy with rice. If you prefer a drier version, cook it longer.
To make toasted grated coconut/kerisik:

Toast 200 g of fresh grated coconut(white flesh only) or desiccated coconut in the oven at 160 C until lightly browned. Stir well every 10 mins until done. Takes about 30 mins or more. (Alternatively, you can saute the fresh grated coconut or desiccated coconut in a pan on the stove. Stir continuously until it turns dry and browned.) You can make more and store the remainder in an airtight container. Keep the “kerisik”in the refrigerator. Should keep for up to 2 weeks.