Chicken Rendang

I picked up this dish from a very old neighbour, fondly remembered as 'Malay Aunty' as hers was the only Malay family in a totally Chinese dominated neighbourhood, back in the late 50's. Young children addressed her as "Grandma'. She liked her rendang to be cooked dry, with some 'kerisik' (fried coconut) tossed in at the end. On the contrary, I prefer mine to have a little bit of gravy and omitted the 'kerisik'.

Chicken Rendang

Ingredients :

• 900 gm Chicken cut into medium size
• 20 gm young ginger (cut into fine strips)
• 20 Shallots (cut into slices)
• 3 stalks of Serai/Lemon grass (crushed)
• 4 fresh Red Chillies (blended)
• 3 to 4 pieces of Kunyit/Turmeric leaves (cut into fine strips)
• 500 ml Coconut milk
• Salt to taste
• 'Kerisik'/Fried Coconut - Optional

Method :

1. In a wok, put in the chicken pieces, ginger strips, shallots, turmeric leaves, coconut milk, blended chillies, lemon grass and salt.
2. Cook on high heat and once it starts to boil, cook on low for about an hour or till the chicken is thoroughly cooked and tender. Do not cover the wok during the whole cooking process.
3. Cook to the desired consistency, add salt to taste, dish out.
4.  Serve.

Note :

If fresh chillies are not available, you can replace with dried chilles, soaked and blended.
You can also substitute Turmeric leaves with Limau Purut aka Kaffir leaves.