Malaysian

Ayam Goreng Berempah (Spiced Fried Chicken)

Name: Ayam Goreng Berempah (Spiced Fried Chicken)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 3 h
Yield: 4-6
Cuisine: Malaysian
Ingredients: 6 shallots, peeled; 4 cloves garlic; 3 cm piece ginger, sliced; 3 cm piece galangal, sliced; 2 stalks lemongrass, white part only, sliced; 3 tbsp water; 1.2 kg chicken pieces (thighs, drumsticks and wings), skin on; 2 tbsp meat curry powder; 2 tsp chilli powder; 1 tsp ground turmeric; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp ground fennel; 2 tsp salt; 2 tsp sugar; 2 tbsp rice flour; 1 tbsp corn flour; 1 L cooking oil, for deep-frying; 3 sprigs curry leaves

Marinate chicken for at least 2 hours in a blended paste of shallots, garlic, ginger, galangal and lemongrass with curry powder and turmeric, dust with rice flour and deep-fry at 170°C, then fry the leftover marinade with curry leaves into crisp crumbs; about 3 hours (mostly marinating) for 4-6.

Ayam goreng berempah is Malay-style fried chicken that gets its flavour from a fresh spice paste rather than a batter. The chicken sits for a few hours in blended shallots, garlic, ginger, galangal and lemongrass with curry powder and turmeric, then gets a light dusting of rice flour and is deep-fried until the skin is dark gold and crackly. The bits of marinade left in the bowl are fried with curry leaves into crisp, savoury crumbs and scattered over the top, which is the part everyone fights over. Serve it with nasi lemak, plain rice and sambal, or on its own.

Ayam goreng berempah: dark golden spiced fried chicken pieces topped with crisp fried spice crumbs and curry leaves on a white plate, with sliced cucumber

Serves 4-6
Prep: 20 min
Cook: 40 min
Total: 3 hr

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Ingredients

Spice paste

6 shallots, peeled
4 cloves garlic
3 cm piece ginger, sliced
3 cm piece galangal, sliced
2 stalks lemongrass, white part only, sliced
3 tbsp water

Marinade

1.2 kg chicken pieces (thighs, drumsticks and wings), skin on
2 tbsp meat curry powder
2 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground fennel
2 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar

For frying

2 tbsp rice flour
1 tbsp corn flour
1 L cooking oil, for deep-frying
3 sprigs curry leaves

Method

Blend the shallots, garlic, ginger, galangal and lemongrass with the water to a fine paste.
Make two deep cuts in the thickest part of each chicken piece. Put the chicken in a bowl with the paste, curry powder, chilli powder, turmeric, cumin, fennel, salt and sugar and rub it in well, getting it into the cuts. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
Take the chicken out of the fridge 20 minutes before frying. Sprinkle over the rice flour and corn flour and toss until every piece has a thin, sticky coating. Keep the bowl with the leftover marinade.
Heat the oil in a wok or deep pan to 170°C (340°F). Fry the chicken in batches, without crowding, for 12–14 minutes, turning now and then, until deep golden and cooked through (75°C at the bone). Drain on a rack.
When all the chicken is done, scrape the leftover marinade from the bowl into the hot oil with the curry leaves. Fry for 1–2 minutes, stirring, until the crumbs are crisp and brown. Lift them out with a slotted spoon and drain on paper.
Pile the chicken on a plate, scatter over the crisp spice crumbs and curry leaves and serve hot.

Tips

Air fryer: coat the marinated chicken with the flours, spray it with oil and air-fry at 200°C for 22–25 minutes, turning halfway. Fry the curry leaves and crumbs in 3 tbsp oil in a small pan.
Smaller pieces fry faster: wings take about 8 minutes, large thighs up to 15 minutes. Check the thickest piece near the bone.
Make ahead: the marinated chicken keeps for 1 day in the fridge, and the flavour is stronger the next day.
Leftovers: keep for 2 days in the fridge. Reheat on a rack in the oven at 200°C (400°F) for 10 minutes so the skin crisps again.

Questions

What is the difference between ayam goreng berempah and ordinary fried chicken?

Ayam goreng berempah has no batter. Its flavour comes from a fresh spice paste of shallots, lemongrass, galangal, curry powder and turmeric, and it is finished with crisp fried spice crumbs and curry leaves.

How long should I marinate the chicken?

At least 2 hours, and overnight in the fridge is best. The spices go deeper and the chicken stays juicier.

Can I make it in an air fryer?

Yes. Coat the marinated chicken with the flours, spray it with oil and air-fry at 200°C for 22–25 minutes, turning halfway. Fry the curry leaves and crumbs separately in a little oil.

How do I know the chicken is cooked?

Fry it for 12–14 minutes until deep golden; the juices at the bone should run clear, or a thermometer should read 75°C at the thickest part.

Is this ayam goreng berempah halal?

The recipe is pork-free and lists no alcohol. It is not halal-certified: use halal-certified chicken and check that the curry powder carries halal certification.

A Dada Cooking original recipe. Quantities are metric first, with US amounts in brackets.