Authentic Chicken Rendang (Resepi Rendang Ayam)
If you are looking for one of Southeast Asian’s best cuisines, you should try this Authentic Chicken Rendang recipe. This dish, often called a “dry curry,” is rich in flavour. Unlike the usual quick-cooking curries, a true Malay Chicken Rendang (Rendang Ayam) requires a slower cooking process. By using this method, not only will the chicken be cooked tender, it will also bring out the aromatic, decadent taste to the dish.
As we approach the month of Ramadan (fasting month) and soon Hari Raya Aidilfitri (Eid), I am sharing with you how to get that juicy, succulent texture to the meat and a deep, aromatic base. This rendang chicken recipe belonged to my late grandmother and she never failed to cook up a storm when Hari Raya Aidilfitri (Eid) approaches. We’ll use traditional ingredients like kerisik (toasted coconut paste), fresh lemongrass, and a mix of spices. This will make your kitchen smell heavenly.
This step-by-step guide is easy to follow and will help you make this traditional rendang ayam dish in your own kitchen.
What is Rendang?
Rendang is a staple and traditional dish cooked mostly for kenduri, festive occasions, housewarming parties.. you name it! Other than that, rendang is usually cooked “dry” but of course there are so many tailored recipes and may call for extra gravy to have this delicious chicken rendang dish with rice – definitely adds that extra oomph!
What is the main ingredient in Rendang?
Rendang is often cooked using curry powder but one thing that determines the dish to be a “rendang” dish is the use of kerisik (coconut paste) and turmeric leaves (known as daun kunyit).
What kind of chicken is best for Rendang?
The best chicken to use will be bone-in-chicken. As cooking rendang uses a slow cooking method, this will help achieve fork-tender chicken when ready.
If you like this, check out our Telur Masak Kicap recipe, a perfect simple dish for a quick weeknight dinner recipe!
Chicken Rendang ingredients:
- Chicken (with bones)
- Salt
- Red onions or shallots (to give the sweetness to the dish)
- Garlic (achieving the perfect aroma)
- Ginger
- Turmeric powder (kunyit)
- Turmeric leaves (daun kunyit)
- Lemon grass
- Red Chilli (cili merah)
- Beef and fish curry powder
- Coconut milk/cream (to add texture and creaminess to the dish)
- Kerisik (coconut paste) (to thicken and darkened the gravy)
How to cook Chicken Rendang
1. Blending the key ingredients first
The key is to ensure that all the ingredients (onion, garlic, ginger, chilli, lemon grass and turmeric) are blended nicely (not necessary for them to blended smoothly) before adding to the chicken.
2. Making the sauce/gravy
Add the blended ingredients to the uncooked chicken in the wok. At this point, do not switch on the gas yet. We want to make sure that all the ingredients are added and mixed well before starting to cook.
3. Adding kerisik after the chicken in rendang is cooked
The best part: Add kerisik (coconut paste) to help thicken the gravy and eventually the colour of the rendang gravy will darkened.
Authentic Malay Chicken Rendang (Resepi Rendang Ayam)
Ingredients
Ingredients to blend
- 3 red onions you can use shallots
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp ginger
- 1 tbsp turmeric powder kunyit
- 1 lemon grass
- 3 red chilli
- 20 ml water
Sauce
- 25 g fish curry powder
- 25 g beef curry powder
- 200 ml coconut milk/cream
- 600 ml water
- 3 tsp salt
- 110 g coconut paste kerisik
- 2 turmeric leaves daun kunyit – cut into thin slices
- 1.5 kg chicken bone-in-chicken
Instructions
Ingredients to blend
- Blend the onion, garlic, ginger, turmeric powder, lemon grass and red chilli with water until well mixed/blended.
Making the sauce
- Add the blend to the uncooked chicken in the wok. Add in both curry powders, coconut cream and top it with the required amount of water to create the gravy.
- Add the cut turmeric leaves and salt. Mix them well and let it cook for 20 minutes.
- Final step: After 20 mintues, add the coconut paste into the gravy and mix it well. Let it simmer for another 10 minutes and you're done!
