I always associate chicken rendang with Hari Raya. It is usually served with rice, lemang or ketupat. It is also good eaten with bread. I once made a sandwich using leftover rendang.
Two essential ingredients to cook rendang are kerisik and tumeric leaves. Without kerisk and tumeric leaves, the distinct taste and aroma of rendang would be missing.
Rendang is cooked by simmering on low heat to bring out the aroma of the spice paste. It is perfect for tough cuts of meat like beef. When cooking chicken rendang, old chicken is normally used as it can withstand the long cooking time. If you look at rendang recipes, the standard operating procedure is to put all the ingredients into a pot and bring it to a boil and simmer on low flame until the meat is cooked. If regular chicken is used, you will end up with a pot of mush.
My Aunt taught me a different method that is suitable when using regular chicken. The spice paste is sauteed first, then cooled and used to marinate the raw chicken pieces. It is preferable to marinate overnight before cooking the following day.
I adapted this recipe from Chef Hanieliza's book "Senangnya Memasak Ayam".
Chicken Rendang :
1. 3 chicken legs (I cut these into 6 pieces)
2. 1 packet santan
3. 1/2 cup kerisik
4. 1 tumeric leaf finely sliced
5. Salt to taste
Spice Paste :
1. 15 shallots
2. 4 cloves garlic
3. 3 stalks lemongrass
4. Ginger (2 inches)
5. Galangal (lengkuas, 1 inch)
6. Tumeric (1 inch)
7. 4 dried chillies (soaked to soften)
Method :
1. Blend spice paste ingredients.
2. Saute until fragrant and oil rises to the top.
3. Cool the spice paste and use to marinate the chicken pieces. Marinate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
4. Heat oil and fry the marinated chicken for about 10 minutes. Add santan, tumeric leaves and kerisik.
5. Bring to a boil and lower the flame. Simmer on low heat until chicken is cooked and gravy is thick. Add salt to taste.
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| Spice paste ingredients. |
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| Use the cooked spice paste as marinade to marinate the chicken. Marinate for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight before cooking. |
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| Chicken Rendang cooked and ready to serve. |
Wow, I can smell your rendang from here and how not to drool!
ReplyDeleteYou have a bionic nose!
DeleteHi Phong hong ,
ReplyDeletechicken rendang Looks spicy !!!
and gravy looks delicious Phong hong :) :)
Keep on :)
Hi Punitha, you can add more chillies to the recipe. I have kept mine to a minimum because my husband would be jumping up and down if it is too hot.
DeleteLooks so guuuudd!! Too bad i am sick, else i would have zoom straight uninvited to your house haha!
ReplyDeleteHi Esther, you better hurry before my family wallop all!
DeleteI was just salivating over your kerisik. I remember eating them by the spoonfuls as a kid. I doubt I'll even get to the pounding part and to this delicious looking rendang!
ReplyDeleteHi Ping, I thought I was the only crazy one who did that. So you ate kerisik by the spoonfuls too, its good isn't it ?
DeletePhong Hong, nice curry yah. Last I cooked this was umpteen years ago with big prawns during the CNY. Was a real hit - my MIL asked me to cook again after that. What stopped me from cooking it since then is the coconut portion. I packet is how many grams? Maybe I should try yours cos' it's only 3 drumsticks.
ReplyDeleteHi Kimmy, yah its great too with prawns. The santan I use comes in packets of 200ml each. By the way, I used 3 chicken legs ie 3 legs and 3 thighs. Just a nice portion for a small family (of big eaters!).
DeleteHi Phong Hong, being invited to your home for dinner with this chicken rendang will certainly ruin my mother's good name, ha ha ha, because I will make 3 plates of rice disappear.
ReplyDeleteWow! I can practically get the delicious scent of your ingredients from where I am....
And can see you have that extra spice called, 'love' added.......love of cooking.
Back in the old days, where Nyonya ladies are concerned, apart from sambal belachan, this chicken rendang is a must among her culinary skills....in her resume, otherwise no matchmaker will want to get involved. Ha ha ha.
You have a nice day, and keep a song in your heart.
Best regards,
Lee.
ps, you have Nyonya genes in you?
Hi Uncle Lee, thank you for the kind compliments. Yes, I am of Nyonya heritage. A good day to you too and my regards to Aunty Lee.
DeleteHmm, nampak sedapnya..so long i have not cooked chicken rendang, i have a turmeric leaf plant, can cook anytime, hehehe.Interesting to find out that to marinate chicken with paste overnight..
ReplyDeleteHi Sonia, very convenient to have tumeric plant. I bought one leaf from Tesco and it cost RM0.60. Tsk, tsk, tsk....
DeleteSeriously sedap giler!!!! kecur dah ni tauu..:)))
ReplyDeleteRaya dah nak tiba, kita semua kena masak rendang beramai-ramai!
Deletehi phong hong, this is a mouth watering dish!! sure tambah nasi!i must keep in mind the turmeric leaves next time i make rendang. thanks!
ReplyDeleteHi Lena, yah this one must have lots of nasi!
DeleteA second helping with another plate of rice will do justice to your chicken rendang! :)
ReplyDeleteThat's a great compliment to the cook. Third helping also can!
Deletelooks yummy & tempting
ReplyDeleteTasty Appetite
Thanks, Jay!
DeleteHi Phong Hong, your rendang look so good. Can I have extra rice? LOL
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your recipe.
Have a nice day.
Amelia, you can have as much rice as you like!
DeleteI'm pretty sure that homemade rendang tastes much better than store- bought paste!Never make this from the scratch b4 but will try it in the future becoz I think that this is a must to learn for every Malaysian,haha!
ReplyDeleteHi Jessie, you know, I am reluctant to use ready made paste because its like cheating. LOL!
DeleteYour rendang makes me drool for more. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThanks for dropping by, Veronica!
Delete