Chicken grilled with a sweet, spicy coconut milk basting sauce, a specialty of Malaysia's east coast states.
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.
Serves 4
Blend shallots, garlic, soaked chiles and lemongrass into a smooth paste.
Heat oil in a saucepan and fry the spice paste until fragrant, about 4-5 minutes.
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.
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.
Let rest 5 minutes before serving.
Serve hot with any remaining sauce and steamed rice.
Simmer the percik sauce until genuinely thick, since a thin sauce won't properly cling to the chicken as it grills.
Baste generously and repeatedly while grilling, building up layers of the sauce for maximum flavor and stickiness.
Grill over medium, not high, heat, since the sugary sauce can burn quickly if the flame runs too hot.
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.
Refrigerate cooked chicken up to 3 days; reheat gently in a covered dish in the oven to avoid drying it out.
Ayam percik is a specialty of Malaysia's east coast states, particularly Kelantan and Terengganu, and it remains a beloved dish for celebrations and everyday grilling alike, its coconut-based sauce distinct from other regional Malaysian grilled chicken styles.
Yes, roast at 200C/400F for about 40 minutes, basting frequently with the sauce, though you'll lose some of the smoky char a real grill provides.
A mix of lime juice and a touch of brown sugar approximates its tangy-sweet quality, though the flavor won't be identical.
The sugar content caramelizes quickly — grill over medium heat and watch closely, moving the chicken to indirect heat if it's browning too fast.
Per serving (340g / 12.0 oz) · 4 servings total
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