Ayam Masak Merah

It's Eid al-Fitr! Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri (Eid Mubarak in Malay) to my dear Muslim friends!

Hari Raya (Eid al-Fitri in Malay) is one of my favourite celebrations in Malaysia. Not only it's a 3-5 days holiday, but it's also an opportunity to visit my Muslim friends and indulge in various delicacies! Ahh, how I wish I'm back home celebrating with my friends!

Of all the delicacies served during Eid such as Rendang (a spicy meat dish with toasted and shredded coconut), ketupat (rice packed in palm leaf pouch) and various kuih raya (desserts), AYAM MASAK MERAH has to be my all time favourite! The secret of this dish is in the sauce. Ayam Masak Merah literally translates into chicken cooked in red sauce ("ayam" is chicken; "masak" means cook; and "merah" means red). Tomatoes and chilies form the sauce base, and the rest of the ingredients/spices add aromas and complexity to it.

You'll find a thousand different Ayam Masak Merah recipes online. So feel free to agak-agak your way. You will be surprised by the magical combination of chilies, tomatoes, turmeric, lemongrass, cinnamon and star anise! 
 

AYAM MASAK MERAH // SERVES 4

I've tried making this dish a healthier version, but I don't think cooking it with less sugar and less oil do any justice to this traditional dish. Live a little, it's Hari Raya (celebration day)! 

INGREDIENTS

- 1 medium-size chicken, chopped
- 1 tomato, coarsely chopped
- 1 yellow onion, cut into thick rings
- 2 sticks of cinnamon
- 4 whole star anise pods
- 1 tbsp turmeric powder
- 1/4 cup of oil
- 1/2 cup sugar
- salt to taste


SAUCE
- 2 tomatoes
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 3 fresh chillies
- 1/4 cup of dried chilli peppers (soak in hot water until softened)
- 1 yellow onion
- 6 cloves of garlic
- 2 sticks of lemongrass
- 2 inches of ginger
- 1/2 cup of oil

INSTRUCTIONS

Marinate chicken with turmeric powder, salt, and pepper for 10-15 minutes. 

In the meanwhile, blend all the sauce ingredients into a smooth paste. 

In a large skillet, heat 1/4 cup of oil over medium heat. Brown the chicken until golden brown on all sides. Set aside. 

In the same skillet, sauté cinnamon stick and star anise over low heat until fragrant.

Add in the blended ingredients. Sauté until pecah minyak*. 

Return the fried chickens into skillet. Toss in coarsely chopped tomatoes, onion rings, sugar, ketchup, and 1 cup of water. Bring it to a boil, reduce the sauce until it coats the chicken well.

Season with salt to taste, and maybe with more sugar if it's too hot for you. 

Serve hot with rice.

*Pecah minyak is a Malay term referring to when oil separates from the blended ingredients during the sautéing process. You can tell by seeing a thin layer of oil floating on top of the paste. It might take about 10 - 15 minutes. However, if you wish to use less oil in this recipe, pecah minyak might not happen. Just sauté the paste until fragrant.