Ayam Percik (Malaysian Grilled Coconut Chicken)

About This Recipe

Ayam percik comes from Malaysia's east coast, particularly Kelantan and Terengganu, chicken grilled while repeatedly basted with a thick, spiced coconut milk sauce that caramelizes into a sticky, richly flavored glaze. The percik sauce itself, built on a spice paste of shallot, lemongrass and chile simmered down with coconut milk and palm sugar, is what defines this dish, its sweet, mildly spicy character distinct from other Malaysian grilled chicken preparations. Traditionally grilled over charcoal with the sauce brushed on repeatedly throughout cooking, ayam percik develops layers of flavor as the sauce reduces and caramelizes with each successive coat, best served with plain rice to balance its richness.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 8bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks
• 6shallots(for spice paste)
• 3 clovesgarlic(for spice paste)
• 3dried red chiles(soaked, for spice paste)
• 2 stalkslemongrass(for spice paste)
• 2 tbspvegetable oil
• 2 cupscoconut milk
• 2 tbsppalm sugar or brown sugar
• 1 tbsptamarind paste
• 1.5 tspsalt

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the spice paste

   Blend shallots, garlic, soaked chiles and lemongrass into a smooth paste.

2. 2

   Fry the paste

   Heat oil in a saucepan and fry the spice paste until fragrant, about 4-5 minutes.

3. 3

   Make the percik sauce

   Add coconut milk, palm sugar, tamarind paste and salt; simmer 15-20 minutes until thickened into a sauce that coats the back of a spoon.

   Simmer the sauce until genuinely thick — a thin sauce won't cling to the chicken properly and will just drip off during grilling.

4. 4

   Grill the chicken

   Grill the chicken over medium heat, basting generously with the percik sauce every few minutes, for 35-40 minutes until charred, sticky and cooked through.

5. 5

   Rest

   Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

6. 6

   Serve

   Serve hot with any remaining sauce and steamed rice.

Variations

• •

  A milder version reduces the chiles for those sensitive to heat.

• •

  Fish can be prepared the same way (ikan percik) as a popular seafood alternative.

• •

  Adding a bit of galangal to the spice paste gives extra traditional depth.

Storage

Refrigerate cooked chicken up to 3 days; reheat gently in a covered dish in the oven to avoid drying it out.

Frequently Asked Questions