An Overdue Craving

Eversince i was pregnant with Aidan, i craved for Ayam Percik (Spicy Barbequed Chicken). living out of your home country when pregnant, i didnt really get to enjoy my craving period! i just make do with what i had, and what holland's got to offer (as well as brussels!).

Now 7 months after having my son, and pretty much settled in and having a routine of our own, i manage to dig up some of mum's old recipes which she had brought while visiting us last year and found a piece of paper with a header - "AYAM PERCIK".

My husband's been telling me, "stop cooking! stop trying out new dishes, i'm getting wider!" but i cant help it! i just had to try this one out.

So last Sunday, whilst my son was in a good mood playing with his toys, and my husband out in the garden, i decided to embark on my mission. i prepared the ingredients earlier, when both boys were out. honestly, it didnt take long to cook! and i thought it was one of the leceh/most difficult malaysian dish!

Since mum's recipe's an old one, i just followed the key ingredients and did some minor changes.



AYAM PERCIK (Spicy Barbequed Chicken)


Ingredients:
3-4 chicken legs (skinless, bone-in)
cooking oil
about 2 tbs tamarind juice
4 lemon grass stalks, bruised (as jamie says it "whack" em up)
1 cup thick coconut mix
about 1 tbs sugar
salt to taste

Marinade:
3 whole red onions (blend)
2 shallots
5 garlic (blend)
1 inch fresh ginger (blend)
1 stalk of lemon grass (blend)
2 candlenuts (kemiri) (blend)
1 tsp turmeric powder
6-7 dried chillis (washed first, boiled and then blend)
a dash of salt and sugar


Method
1. Blend marinade well

2. Add to chicken and marinade for at least 1/2 hour.

3. Heat oil and fry the access marinate until its smells bloody nice

4. Add coconut milk, tamarind juice, sugar, salt and simmer on a medium heat for 5 mins

5. Add the chicken until it's half cooked

6. BBQ chicken in the oven (grill or turbo grill), leaving the coconut gravy in the pan to thicken on a medium heat

7. Turn the chicken occationally wlist adding more gravy on the chicken.

Serve with warm steamed rice!

LEKKER!!sedap!) - jadi la for a first timer, and being away from home. ;)


note: to those who are not familiar with this dish, it hails from the north eastern state of malaysia called kelantan. ayam percik is just one of my favourite kelantan dishes! will try to learn more!