FOR MARINATING & DEEP FRYING THE CHICKEN:

INGREDIENTS:

To Marinate:

To Fry:

METHOD:

To Marinate:

• Clean, Wash and cut the Chicken into medium-sized pieces.
• Grind the fresh turmeric root into a fine paste and keep it aside.
• In a large bowl, add The Chicken Pieces along with the finely ground Turmeric Paste, All-purpose Flour & a dash of Salt.
• Mix until the Chicken Pieces are well coated with the ingredients.
• Leave the marinated Chicken Pieces in the refrigerator for about 3-4 Hours/Overnight.

Deep Frying the Chicken:

• Heat oil in a deep pan on a high flame.
• Let the oil smoke off.
• Now reduce the flame to medium-high and deep-fry the marinated Chicken Pieces.
• Fry a few pieces at a time, so the oil doesn’t cool down. Make sure not to overcrowd the pan.
• Turn & fry the chicken so that it browns evenly,
• Remove the Chicken Pieces from the oil when cooked through, and it turns into golden brown.
• Drain it on a paper towel.

NOTES:

• To save time & to get added flavour, you can marinate the chicken earlier and leave it in the refrigerator.
• Longer the marination time, better the texture.
• Can substitute fresh Turmeric Root with 1 teaspoon of Turmeric Powder mixed along with a few teaspoons of water.
• Adding the flour to while marinating is purely optional.
  
• Another important aspect is to make sure the oil is hot enough while frying the Chicken Pieces.
• Next thing is don’t overload the pan while frying the Chicken Pieces
• Deep-fry the Chicken pieces on a medium-high flame until it is 3/4 done.
• Do not fry until the chicken pieces turn crisp and fried.
  

FOR AYAM MASAK MERAH:

AYAM MASAK MERAH

For Ayam Merah Curry Paste :

Onions - 2 Nos.
Garlic - 5-6 Cloves.
Ginger 1" Piece - 2 Nos.
Galangal 1" Piece - 2 Nos.
Fresh Turmeric Root 1" Piece - 1 No.
Fresh Red Chillies - 3 Nos.
Dry Red Chillies - 10 -12 Nos.
Coriander Powder - 11/2 Tablespoon
Cumin Seeds - 1 Teaspoon 

Spices:

Cinnamon - 2 Sticks
Cloves - 5 Nos.
Star Anise - 2 Flowers
Cinnamon 1" - 2 Sticks

To Sauté:

For Garnishing (Optional):

Big Red Chillies (Fresh) - 2 Nos.

METHOD:

• Soak Dry Red Chillies in hot water for about 15-20 minutes.
• Grind the ingredients mentioned under for 'Ayam Merah Curry Paste' into a fine paste along with soaked dry red chillies and keep it aside.
• Clean and Cut the Lemon Grass Stalk (use the white part), slightly crush the stalks and keep them aside.
• Heat oil in a wide pan, once the oil is hot, lower the flame and splutter the ingredients mentioned under 'Spices' until they turn aromatic.
• Immediately add the Lemon Grass Stalks to the above and give a quick stir.
• Pour in the ground 'Ayam Merah Curry Paste' and sauté it on a very low flame until oil separates from the mix, and it turns aromatic.
• Add the deep-fried Chicken Pieces to the Ayam Merah Curry mix along with 1 Cup of Water and a dash of Salt.
• Mix well, cover and cook the Chicken pieces on a low flame for about 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Now pour in the Tomato Sauce and Red Chilli Sauce and mix well.
  
• Cook the Chicken pieces along with knotted Pandan leaves on a low flame until the meat turns soft and tender.  
• Add the Palm Sugar to the Ayam Masak Merah and cook for another few minutes.
• Cook until all the curry paste & sauces are well absorbed into the meat and the curry reaches the desired consistency.
• Add Onions cut into rings at the final stage and cook this on a very low flame for a few minutes or just until it wilts.
  
• When slow cooked for a long time (approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour) the Curry gets a wonderful silky texture & the flavours gets well-infused into the meat from the spices and herbs.
• Finally, garnish Ayam Masak Merah with fresh Red Chillies cut into thin slices.
  
• Serve Ayam Masak Merah hot or at room temperature.
• Goes well with Roti, Roti Jala etc., 
• Ayam Masak Merah is a good accompaniment for Nasi Biryani, Nasi Minyak, Nasi Tomato, Nasi Kuning or any other flavoured rice dishes.
• It can be served with Ketupat or Saffron Rice, or simply pair it up with Jasmine Rice/White Rice/Basmati Rice.

NOTES:

• Can cook the same recipe with Beef or Lamb too.
• Adjust the cooking time to suit the tenderness of the meat you are using.
• Adjust the amount of spices to suit your taste preference.
• Can de-seed the Dry Red Chillies for a less spicy Ayam Masak Merah.
• Adjust the number of Red Chillies and Dry Red Chillies to suit your spice preference.
  
• Can substitute Palm Sugar with Brown Sugar or normal Sugar.
• Slow-cooked Ayam Masak Merah yields soft & succulent chicken pieces with a wonderful silky texture & flavours well-infused into the meat from the spices and herbs.
• This is a rich dish with a lot of fat, spices and sauces. Adjust the amount of sauces to suit your preference.