Ayam rendang (chicken rendang)

This way of preparing chicken in coconut is popular all over Malaysia. If you wanted to be really authentic, you could serve it garnished with a few deep fried anchovies (ikan bilis), which the Malaysians love.

Recipe

Chicken leg pieces (thighs and/or drumsticks), skin removed if desired
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp oil
3 tbsp desiccated coconut (unsweetened)
1 small onion, finely diced
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp minced ginger
2 tsp minced lemongrass
1-2 tsp minced chilli or sambal olak (to taste)
1/2 cup coconut milk

Sprinkle the chicken with sugar and set aside.

Grind the coconut to a paste in a food processor or coffee grinder until it resembles sand.

Heat a large pan over a medium to low heat. Add the ground coconut and heat, watching carefully and stirring almost constantly, until it is evenly browned (do not wander away or get distracted at this stage - the coconut can go from deliciously brown to acrid and burnt in a very short space of time).

Turn up the heat to medium if it's on low. Add the oil, onion, and all the spices. Cook for couple of minutes, adding a splash of water if it starts to catch. Add the coconut milk and the chicken. Turn the heat back down to low, cover and cook until the chicken is tender, about 35-40 minutes.

Transfer the chicken pieces to a bowl. If the sauce is a little runny still, turn up the heat and simmer the sauce for a minute or two until it's reduced. Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve.

If you leave the chicken skin on as you cook this, you'll probably want to skim off some of the fat from the sauce before you serve it.

Serves: 2-3
Preparation and cooking time: 45 minutes