Malaysian Chicken Rendang - spicy savoury creamy chicken

Chicken Rendang


Galangal (another breed of ginger)


Candlenuts (looks like macadamia)

Chicken Rendang is extremely fragrant finished with a roasted coconut powder. It is a little sweet, salty, spicy and creamy! Serve it with Jasmine rice.

Ingredients:

1 can of coconut cream (from Trader Joe's)

1 1/2 cups of coconut powder (finely grated coconut powder sold at Whole Foods)

3 1/2 lbs of chicken breast (some prefer cut up whole chicken but whichever is fine)

1 tbs of vegetable oil

3 kaffir lime leaves - julienne (optional)

1 cup of curry powder

Basic aromatics

1/2 cup of water

1 cup of shallots

2 tbs of lemon grass

1 cup of galangal

5 pieces of candlenuts

30g of tamarind pulp soaked in 1/2 cup of warm water (optional)

Seasoning

1-2 tsp salt (I sub with fish sauce)

Method:

Marinate chicken with some curry powder and leave it aside.

In a pan over low heat, fry the coconut powder until it is brown and fragrant. Set aside. This will be the last ingredient to add to the chicken when cooked. 

In a food blender, put the Basic aromatics spices and blend until fine. 

If using Tamarind, add the 1/2 cup of warm water to the tamarind. Strain the mixture over a fine sieve. Keep the water from tamarind for use later and discard the tamarind pulp in the sieve. 

In a dutch oven pot, heat oil over high heat. Saute the aromatic spices until fragrant for about 8-10 mins. Add the rest of curry powder. Turn heat to medium and add chicken. Stir and cook chicken until chicken are semi-cooked. Add the tamarind water, coconut milk, cover pot and simmer for 20 mins. 

When chicken is fully cooked, add seasoning to taste. Mixture should not be too watery. Remove from stove and add the roasted coconut powder. Mix until all the chicken are coated with coconut and mixture.Garnish with kaffir lime leaves.

Serve with Jasmine rice ! enjoy.