Indonesian Ayam Kalasan (twice cooked - grill or fried chicken with coconut juice spice marinade)

There are many versions for this Indonesian dish. I believe this one has a good balance of spices and is not too difficult to make.

Ingredients
Whole chicken (or 6 to 8 chicken drumsticks)
Coconut juice (yes, not coconut milk)

Spice & Seasoning 
Ground coriander
Ground cumin (a pinch)
Ground turmeric (a pinch)
Nutmeg (a tiny pinch)
Bashed lemongrass (2 stalks)
Galanga (2 slices)
Garlic
Red shallot
Salt
Pepper

Fresh dipping salsa sauce:
Tomatoes, Chilli, Dark Soy sauce, spring onions.
Chop finely and mix well.

Side salad:
Lettuce (buttercut or Italian cos)
Cucumber sliced thinly

Method:

1. Heat oil in frying pan. Fry garlic, shallot, galangal and lemongrass till fragrant.
2. Add dry ground spices. Turn down the heat.
3. Pour in coconut juice (fresh or packed) and bring to the boil.
4. Put in chicken (whole or pieces). Cover and turn down the heat.
5. After 10 minutes, remove chicken from the pot and drain excess stock.
6. Rest the meat for at least 5 - 10 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, heat up the grill. Alternatively, you may pan fry or deep fry the meat.
8. Fry or grill on both sides till golden brown.
9. Serve with steamed rice (coconut, pandan or saffron), salsa dip and salad (ingredients as above) and spicy soup. Yes!




* Bonus dish: drain the spices from the marinade/chicken stock.
Add cubed carrots, potatoes and onions and bring to the boil. Viola!

* Note: this is the "reverse" process of the Vietnamese coconut juice chicken which I will be sharing with you soon.

Kapitan Curry Chicken

The secrets to a successful Malaysian curry are fresh spices and the right amount of heat.

Basic spice mixture : 4 dried chilli, 2 eschalot, 2 garlic, 1 large stalk of lemongrass base (white portion only), 2 slices of galangal, turmeric (very small portion, or else it tastes medicinal).

Tip: cut up your spices into smaller pieces would reduce the time and energy required for pounding.
This must be well ground either manually with mortar and pestle or an effective electric grinder for making Indian curry powder. Blenders do not work as well.

The main contents are chicken which has to be marinated with good quality curry powder for 10 minutes and potatoes (steam, parboil or pre-fry if you prefer them softer).

Must haves:

- kaffir lime leaves to be added when the curry is almost cooked. Do not boil the leaves.

- toasted belachan (shrimp paste)

- 2 halved fresh chillies

Seasoning: dark soy sauce, small pinch of salt, palm sugar, fish sauce and pepper.

Cooking:

(1) Stir fry the spice mixture in heated vegetable oil till fragrant. Be patient and do not burn the spices.

(2) Add marinated chicken pieces and sear the outer layer.

(3) Add potatoes

(4) Pour in coconut milk from 1 coconut or 300g of tinned or tetrapak coconut milk

(5) Keep stirring to prevent food sticking to the bottom of the pan. Bring to a soft boiling state. Keep it simmering for 10 minutes without the lid on the pot.

(6) Add kaffir lime leaves

Oyster Mushroom : Chicken and Mushroom Stir Fry

Humid and rainy weather is conducive to mushroom and fungi growth in the bush or farms.

Over the past month, oyster mushrooms were abundant in NSW.

This is a simple stir fry that everyone in the family would love to eat with noodles, rice or wraps.

1. Dice and marinate 350g chicken breast or thigh meat.
Wipe oyster mushroom (or wash and drain well) and cut roughly into bite size.
2. Marinate with light soy sauce and pepper for at least 20 mins.
3. Meanwhile, cut a clove of garlic and a knob of ginger into thin slices. Cut spring green onion stalk with a sharp knife into thin strips or slices and set aside.
4. Heat up heavy frying pan with vegetable oil and fry garlic briefly till yellow and fragrant (before turning brown).
5. Turn up the heat and add chicken. Stir fry quickly. Add oyster mushroom. Add a dash of oyster sauce.
6. Garnish with spring onion and serve.

Grill Chicken Wings - full flavoured and real hot

This is a favourite of young and old. It's really finger licking good. Preparing this delicious dish at home for guys' sports on TV night, teens party, ladies' meeting, family gatherings or simply breaking the monotony of working week night meals.

This could mean huge savings from ordering takeaway or delivery from suburban restaurants.

This never fail family recipe always work miracles. From humble chicken wing to the centrepiece of the dining table. No kidding!

Marinate 1/2 kg of chicken wings with lemon juice (1/4), soy sauce (2 TBS), oyster sauce (2 tsp), Chinese shaoxing wine (2 tsp), pepper (1/2 tsp), sugar (1/4 tsp).

Keep meat in the fridge for at least 2 hours. Bring to room temperature at least 30 mins before cooking.

Preheat oven fan forced at 220 degrees C or set to Grill No. 1.

As the wings contain some fat beneath the skin, there is really no necessity to grease the pan or meat before grilling. Line a metal pan with aluminium foil or use a heat proof good quality tempered glassware.

There is no hard and fast rule on how well you wish to grill the chicken wings. As long as the meat is cooked through to the bone, it is fine. Some like it slightly burnt and that's fine as long as you don't ingest too much charcoal which can be carcinogenic in the long term.

Check the meat after grilling for 20 minutes. If it's slightly brown, it's ready to turn over the other side for grilling for 15 - 20 mins. If too much liquid is collecting at the bottom of the pan, either drain the liquid or transfer the meat to another lined pan to continue cooking.

You could turn two to four times so that the meat turns out evenly grilled. The result should be glossy golden brown wings.

Satay - Grill Meat Skewer

The word "satay" has an Indonesian-Malayan origin. As a significant population comprises Muslim, chicken has become the most common meat use in making Southeast Asian skewer. Chicken is also acceptable to the Hindu Indians and Balinese in this region who are prohibited to eat beef. This recipe is quite similar to the southern Thai "sate".

For a serving of 5 to 6, use 300 - 500 g of chicken fillet, preferably thigh meat (which has more bite and is juicier and doesn't dry out easily compared to breast meat). Cut into rectangular bite size. Marinate for at least 2 hours.

Marinade
Pepper powder 1 tsp
Chilli powder 1/2 tsp
Tamarind juice - 1 tsp ready made from the bottle or make from soaking 2 cm of tamarind & strain
* Tip : must have, to tenderise and infuse a complex tangy taste to the meat before cooking
Tumeric powder 1/4 tsp (* Tip : go easy on this spice - it can overwhelm the whole dish)
Lemongrass (1 piece from the white portion - pound finely)
Galangal (1/2 cm slice, pound finely)
Garlic (1 clove, pounded finely)
Salt 3/4 tsp
Dark soy sauce (runny type)

Peanut Sauce
Thick caramel dark soy sauce (ketchup manis)  2 TBS
Peanut (roughly pounded)  1 cup

Sugar 1 tsp
Salt 1/2 tsp
Garlic clove (1 pound with chilli and shallot)
Shallot bulb (1 small onion)
Dried chilli - 2 pieces (soaked, cut, deseed and grind into paste with the above shallot and garlic)
Shrimp paste (toasted Malaysian type or soft Thai version straight from the tub) - only 1/2 tsp is needed
Coconut milk (thick) 400 g or dilute 300 g of cream - from experience, only Ayam and Kara made the cut

Method
1. Soak bamboo sticks in water to reduce burning
2. Skewer the meat in an elongated fashion to ensure easy grilling.
3. Only a little oil goes a long way because the meat has some fat (peanut, palm or rice) or any with high boiling point. Enough oil just to prevent the meat from becoming dark and burnt.
4. Grill over open fire on the BBQ or in a preheated oven for 10 minutes.
5. Turn the skewer and ensure that the meat is cooked evenly on both sides.
6. Meanwhile, boil all the ingredients for peanut sauce.

Traditional satay is served with another dipping sauce. Another secret to give away.

Relish / Sauce : Mix pineapple cube and Spanish onion with a bit of salt, sugar and rice vinegar.

When the satay is cooked, arrange on a large dish.

Serve with cut cucumber and all the sauces mentioned.

Rice cubes (compressed rice traditionally wrapped in leaves "basket" is good to have. This is as authentic as it can get.

Chicken Bryani - Indian Spice Rice

Bryani (or spelled Biryani) is a one dish meal by itself. It is the main attraction at the buffet table.

Good bryani are hard to come by nowadays. There used to be a few good eating places that serves a good hearty bryani but the taste is often watered down when business thrives. 

It's high time we try to whip up a good meal. Handy tips from true blue Indian friends and a good cookbook that is out of print come in useful.  

Preparation : Dice 4 pieces of chicken fillet and marinate with a dash of pepper.

Use equivalent amount of basmati rice with water using a measuring cup. 2 cups serve 4 persons.

Spices (whole) : 3 green cardamon seeds, 3 cloves, 2  short cinnamon quills

Spices (ground) : cumin, coriander seed, black pepper, chilli powder

* Tip : dry fry spices on a moderately hot pan till the first aroma drifts through the air - whole spices first, then powered (separately). 

Fresh herbs : 2 onions sliced finely, 2 garlic cloves chopped, 1 knob of ginger grated finely, coriander,

Vegetables : tomatoes (sliced thinly)

Liquid : Yoghurt, Saffron threads soaked in warm milk, Lemon juice (from 1/2 a fruit), vegetable oil

1. Boil rice and whole spices with salt (start with 1 tsp and add gradually according to taste) and water. Keep warm.

2. Stir fry onions in heated oil in a heavy frying pan or kwali till golden taking care as they turn brown easily.

3.  Increase heat a little. Add chicken pieces, garlic, ginger and ground spices. Mix well. Do not overcook.

4.  Mix chicken meat and tomatoes with the boiled rice (discard the whole spices).

5. Bake in preheated oven at 150 C for  5 - 7 minutes. Drizzle all the liquids (lemon juice, saffron milk, yoghurt)

6. Garnish with coriander leaves.

7. Add raisin and almond flakes or cashew nut topping.

8. Serve with pappadam.

Curry Chicken - Malaysian Kapitan Curry Ayam

Cooking curry can be quite challenging and takes years to master after much tasting and experimenting. But  nothing is impossible if you know the method and little secrets that make a world of difference.

The essential meat ingredient is free range chicken. Cut whole chicken into bite sizes or use chicken drumsticks. It is tastier using meat on the bone.  Marinate chicken meat with 2 tsp of good quality curry powder from the spice store or Ayam brand. Babas used to be quite good but they seem to have diluted the content. Fiji is a hint spicier and heavy on chilli.  It all depends on what you like. Just remember one thing : Do not use curry powder that has been prepared for many months or exposed to the air.

The spicy paste : dried chillies (soaked and cut into smaller pieces), galangal, onion, garlic, tumeric (a little) and peppercorn. Add candle nut (or macadamia nut) for thicker curry and nutty taste. It is important to fry the paste in 2 TBS oil till fragrant. Otherwise the curry will be flat.

Cut lemongrass into segments. Bruise the white portion and fry with the spice mix.  Add the green stems when the chicken is simmering in curry.

The potatoes : if you like it softer, steam or bake with salt briefing till semi-cooked. For medium soft, fry potatoes with the chicken. For crunchy potato, cut into smaller pieces and add to the curry when it is boiling.

Fry chicken in fried spice mix till 3/4 cooked. Prepare coconut milk and add to the curry. Do not add too much water initially until you see the results after putting in the meat and potatoes.

To make it extra tasty : add tamarind paste, crumbled shrimp paste (Malaysian) and a knob of ginger.

Seasoning : salt, fish sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar according to taste.

Garnish : torn kaffir lime leaves (4) and common mint (2) and 1/2 TBS of thick coconut cream

Sprinkling of shredded coconut (preferably fresh) at the end of the cooking will make any indifferent curry eater drool. If not available, use either snap frozen (steamed) or good quality dessicated coconut though these are not as fragrant.

The difference between most curries and rendang is the latter has less liquid and is browner in colour.

Teriyaki Chicken - the original Japanese soy sauce pan-fried chicken

Only the Japanese can lay claim on being the best cooks of teriyaki chicken.  Others are faux or pseudo or copycats. Nothing beats the original Japanese recipe.

This is one of my family's all-time favourite. Even when I am away from home or no longer be able to cook for them, they still have this recipe.

I have consolidated ideas from two masterchefs - a hotel/fine dining true blue Japanese chef, and another is an international acclaimed culinary instructor.

Ingredients
Chicken fillet - preferably thigh (400 - 500 g)
Pepper (2 tsp)
Mirin (1 TBS)
Soy Sauce  (2 -3 TBS)
Brown Sugar - 2 TBS

Steps :
1. Take chicken out from the fridge 20 minutes prior to preparation for cooking.
2.  Remove fat, skin and sinews. Hammer and butterfly meat.
3.  Marinate chicken with light soy sauce and mirin for 20 minutes or more.
4.  Heat up skillet, preferably non-stick. Nowadays, I use Korean stone coated frying pan which cooks the meat using its own juices, i.e., oil-free cooking.
5. When hot (but before it smokes), put in chicken meat about 2 pieces at a time.
6. Fry each side for 5 minutes or till well cooked.  Note : chicken must be thoroughly cooked and is not safe to be eaten semi-cooked, unlike beef.
7. Turn down the heat and cook a little longer if it looks like the meat is browning too quickly.
8. Remove from heat the first batch of cooking.
9. Cook the rest of the meat in the same way.
10. Rest the meat for at least 3 minutes.
11. Glaze the sauce on the pan with a little mirin, water and sugar mixture. Bring to a light boil.
12. Slice cooked chicken into bite size.
13. Pour the sauce over the chicken.
14. Serve with cucumber and tomato.

Reference - Adobo chicken :
http://homecooksecrets.blogspot.com.au/2009/12/philippine-adobo-chicken-and-pork.html

Buttermilk Spicy Roast Chicken - healthy, easy and tasty

This dish is inspired by North Indian tandoori chicken and Chinese crispy chicken wings. It has layers of sophisticated flavours to tease the most disinterested diner. Moreover, it is healthy and easy to prepare, hence, suitable for casual entertaining and family gatherings.

INGREDIENTS

Chicken drumsticks 10 - 12

Buttermilk 1 cup

Curry powder 2 tsp

Oregano 2 sprigs, chopped finely

Garlic 2 cloves pulverised

Lemon or lime juice 1 TBS

Salt and pepper to taste

Maltose or brown sugar

Vegetable oil (with high boiling point) - 1 TBS

METHOD

1. Remove excess chicken fat from chicken drumsticks. Score lightly to on the skin to reduce cooking time.

2. Put chicken in a large mixing bowl or ziploc bag. Add buttermilk, spices, seasoning, sugar. All except vegetable oil for cooking. Mix well.

3. Leave the meat to marinate in the fridge for at least 3 hours or overnight. Take out one hour before cooking.

4. Preheat oven to 200 C. Place chicken pieces on baking tray that has been greased lightly.

5. Lightly glaze the chicken with more marinate and oil every 20 minutes. Turn ocassionally to ensure even cooking. Roast for for at least 45 minutes in total.