Chicken Rendang

- Serves 4

Ingredients for Chicken Rendang

SPICE PASTE (REMPAH):
6 shallots, chopped
1 inch galangal, peeled and finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
3 stalks lemongrass (lower thick part), finely chopped
1- inch piece ginger, peeled and chopped
1-inch fresh turmeric, peeled and chopped
3 candlenuts, rinsed
10 dried red chilies, soaked in hot water for 1 hour
(de-seed for milder flavour)
​FOR SAUCE:
800g boneless and skinless chicken thighs, cut into
large chunks or 1 whole kampong chicken, cut into
large pieces
1 cup fresh grated coconut, for making Kerisik
2 tablespoons thick, bottled tamarind pulp (or
tamarind pulp made from 10g dried tamarind soaked
in 1/3 cup hot water)
3 tablespoons coconut oil
1 cinnamon stick
3 cloves
3 star anise
3 cardamom pods, pounded using a mortar and pestle
1 lemongrass, bottom half only - bashed with a pestle
1/2 cup-1 cup fresh, thick coconut milk, depending on
how creamy you’d like your Rendang (DO NOT use
pasteurised coconut milk)
1 tablespoon Gula Melaka or to taste
1.5 teaspoons coarse sea-salt
5 kaffir lime leaves, midrib removed then slivered 

Recipe
  1. Place all ingredients for REMPAH in a food processor and blend well into a very fine paste, adding a little water if necessary.
  2. To make Kerisik: Heat a non-stick frying pan on lowmedium heat. Add grated coconut and pan-fry on low heat, tossing occasionally until coconut is golden brown and toasted all over. Transfer immediately into a large mortar and pound away with a pestle, until oil starts to separate. Use 5 tablespoons Kerisik in recipe below.
  3. If using dried Tamarind: Soak 10g tamarind in 1/3 cup hot water for 30 minutes, set aside. Massage soaked tamarind using your fingers and squeeze all the pulp out into the water. Discard fibre and seeds. Set aside pulp.
  4. In a large heavy base frying pan or wok, heat coconut oil on medium-high flame. Add cinnamon, cloves, star anise, and cardamom pods and Rempah - stir-fry for a few minutes until aromatic.
  5. Add chicken and lemongrass - stir to combine well. Add fresh coconut milk, and cook on medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until chicken is almost cooked and oil starts to separate. Cover partially if sauce starts to splutter. Season with salt and Gula Melaka.
  6. Add slivered kaffir lime leaves, and Kerisik - stir well. Cover and continue to cook for 10-15 minutes or until the chicken is tender and most of the liquid has dried up. Add tamarind pulp. Increase the heat and reduce sauce if necessary. Serve hot with rice or prata. 
​NOTE: Step 2 Making Kerisik at home is a quite a process and takes time and patience. Homemade kerisik has amazing flavor and aroma; store-bought stuff just doesn’t compare. Make Kersik ahead of time, make more than the recipe asks for, and freeze leftovers. Leftover kerisik can be chilled, cut into cubes then frozen in bags for another day.
​For more delicious recipes, check out our upcoming hands-on cooking classes in Downtown Singapore.
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