Wednesday 3 October 2012

Terengganu Chicken Salad (Kay Chenh)



I did an earlier post on Terengganu Green Salad with eggs and I am revisiting this salad with steamed chicken. After a discussion with my Aunt, I have revamped the recipe to yield a much thicker and robust dressing.

Salad dressing.
My Aunt also enlightened me on the way the cucumbers are cut. Apparently, my grandaunts would cut the cucumber around the core and then cut the cucumber into strips like this :


Traditionally, the vegetables for this salad consist of pak choy, unripe papaya, cucumber, carrots, bean sprouts and the three herbs - mint, daun kesum (laksa leaves) and selasih (basil). I couldn't get bean sprouts so I replaced it with alfalfa sprouts.






Terengganu Chicken Salad (Kay Chenh)

Vegetables :

- Pak Choy, thinly sliced (see how it's done here)

- Carrots, grated

- Cucumbers, cut into strips
- Unripe papaya, grated
- Bean sprouts (I used alfalfa sprouts)
- Mint
- Kesum (Laksa leaves)
- Selasih (Basil)

Steamed chicken, sliced
Crushed peanuts and toasted sesame seeds to garnish

Dressing :
- 20 shallots
- 25 dried chillies (soaked to soften)
- 15g belacan
- 30g palm sugar (gula Melaka)
- sugar (to taste)
- 2 tablespoons tamarind paste mixed with 350ml water
- 150ml vinegar
- 2 tablespoons taucheow (beanpaste)

To make dressing :
- blend shallots, chillies, belacan and beanpaste.
- mix the tamarind juice and vinegar in a saucepan
- add blended ingredients
- add palm sugar (gula Melaka)
- bring the dressing to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until dressing is thick.
- taste to adjust - the dressing must be sweet, sour and salty
- Cool and store in the fridge. This dressing can keep for up to a month.

To assemble salad :
- Put the vegetables and chicken in a mixing bowl.
- Add dressing. Sprinkle crushed peanuts and toasted sesame seeds and mix until vegetables are well coated.
- Sprinkle more peanuts and sesame seeds if you like.

This salad is best eaten with keropok (fish crackers).

Ingredients for dressing.



Vegetables and herbs for the salad.



I am submitting this post to Malaysian Food Fest, Terengganu Month hosted by Lena of frozen wings "





 





37 comments:

  1. Oh, my, does this look fantastic...moist chicken and so many fresh and delicious ingredients! I could eat this day after day :)

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    1. You are right, Lizzy. This makes a good diet food too :)

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  2. Oh wow, this salad does look delicious, isn't it, the Asian style much loves by everyone here in Msia!! Thank you Phong Hong for sharing this recipe and I'm going to make this one day. Are you from Terengganu?

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    1. Mel, you are welcome! Always happy to share recipes. Yes, I am from Terengganu :)

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  3. More more Orang Tiong food!
    It's really new to me

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    1. Wendy, I will introduce some of the less well known foods. Stay tuned!

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  4. Replies
    1. Thanks! Will check out your menu in a bit :)

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  5. Hi Phong Hong, I tried your Trengganu Green Salad as my lunch after you posted the recipe. It was quite filling and appetising. My hubby says Trengganu Sotong Curry is good, will you be preparing it?

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    1. Kimmy, I'm glad you tried it! Sorry, I don't know how to cook the sotong curry. Hah! Hah!

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  6. oh you are orang terengganu.. love the slow pace, quiet life, very friendly people and of course beautiful beaches. This salad looks delicious with very interesting flavours. look forward to learn more terengganu food from you!

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    1. Shannon, stay tuned for more TGG food!

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  7. Next time try it with Keropok lekor. MIL does that. The salad dressing also she did a bit differently...saw she added a lot of garlic too

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    1. Oh, put garlic? Next time I try that. Eh, I have keropok lekor in the freezer :D

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  8. It looks wonderful and everything so perfectly cut! Bravo!
    Blog about life and travelling
    Blog about cooking

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  9. Hi Phong Hong, wah...appetizing salad, any more left? I like the chicken, look so good tender. Look so delicious, wish I can have some now... LOL

    Have a nice day ahead, regards.

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    1. Hi Amelia! You are too late, finish oredi...You have a nice nice day too and take care!

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  10. I can feel that you are very exciting about this Terengganu themed! The salad looks delicious!

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    1. Yes, Jessie! Myself this whole month very the kancheong lah! So much TGG food to share with all of you :)

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  11. This looks a little like the veggie rojak. I know that I would definitely love this! Oh yum, more chili please!!! Can you pass me a plate? :)
    I'm learning more about Terengganu food which I am totally ignorant about! Thanks for all this exciting Terengganu yummies! Am bookmarking your Kay Hong to try!

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    1. Joyce, you are not wrong to say that this is some kind of rojak. There is another version known as "Chee Sek Rojak" and has steamed fish paste added as an ingredient. I'm glad you are enjoying the TGG fare and will be trying the kay hong :)

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  12. like the first click :) inviting..

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  13. very delicious looking salad. loved the way you cut the cucumbers!

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    1. Swasthi, apparently its old school method hah! hah!

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  14. This looks delicious! I love all the fresh ingredients and herbs-so healthy.

    P.S.
    Thanks for the comment and purchase:) Let me know if you need any snapshots of the book for your review.

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    1. Thanks for coming by, Nancy! Will come over and let you know :)

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  15. good morning phong hong, i'm so delighted to learn all these terengganu family dishes from you. Although i'm the host and done a little bit reserach on the food, i know i sure miss out on all these pass me down family home recipes! thanks so much for sharing!

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    1. You are welcome, Lena. There's lots of nice TGG food to eat :)

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  16. now i know abt cutting the cucumber this way for coreless ones!

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    1. Yeah, its quite a nice way of cutting :)

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  17. Your chicken salad makes me drool! Love all the ingredients in it... healthy and delicious:)

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    1. Thanks, Ann. We need to eat more healthy food!

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  18. Salivating!!! Something like Thai salad? I like!!!

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    1. Arthur, yes, something like that. Its quiet good, you might like it :)

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  19. Your salad looks so refreshing and delicious! I really admire that you are so good at cooking all these local ethnic dishes.

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    1. Thanks, Mich! These are dishes I grew up with and at some point I realize that I have to learn and share with others so that these recipes are not lost forever.

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