Rendang Ayam — Malaysian Chicken Rendang

About This Recipe

Rendang is one of the great dishes of Malaysian and Indonesian cuisine: a slow-cooked dry curry where meat is simmered in a rich coconut milk and spice paste for hours until virtually all the liquid evaporates and the meat fries in its own coconut oil, coating every piece in a deeply fragrant, caramelised spice crust. Unlike other curries, rendang is intentionally dry — the transformation from wet curry to caramelised spice-coated meat is the point. The spice paste (rempah) is built from fresh galangal, lemongrass, turmeric, candlenuts, chillies and shallots, giving the dish a complexity that no powder blend can replicate. Chicken rendang is less common than the traditional beef version but faster to make and equally extraordinary.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1 kgbone-in chicken pieces
• 400 mlcoconut milk(full fat)
• 3 tablespoonstoasted desiccated coconut (kerisik)
• 4 stalkslemongrass(bruised)
• 4 leaveskaffir lime leaves(shredded)
• 2 tablespoonspalm sugar or brown sugar
• 1 teaspoonsalt
• 5dried red chillies(soaked)
• 3 shallotsshallots
• 3 clovesgarlic
• 2 cmfresh galangal(or 1 tsp ground)
• 2 cmfresh turmeric(or 1 tsp ground)
• 3candlenuts or macadamia nuts
• 3 tablespoonsvegetable oil

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the rempah

   Blend soaked chillies, shallots, garlic, galangal, turmeric and candlenuts to a smooth paste.

2. 2

   Fry the paste

   Heat oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Fry the rempah for 8–10 minutes until very fragrant and the oil separates from the paste.

   Thorough frying of the spice paste removes the raw flavour — this step cannot be rushed.

3. 3

   Add chicken and coconut milk

   Add chicken pieces and coat in the paste. Add lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, coconut milk, palm sugar, kerisik and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer, stirring frequently.

4. 4

   Reduce to dry

   Cook uncovered over medium-low heat for 45–60 minutes, stirring increasingly often as the liquid reduces. The rendang is ready when virtually all liquid has evaporated, the coconut oil has separated and the chicken is coated in a dark, fragrant paste.

Variations

• •

  Rendang daging (beef rendang) is the classic version — use 700g chuck steak, cook for 2.5 hours.

• •

  Rendang kambing uses goat meat for a richer, gamier flavour.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Refrigerate for up to 5 days — the flavour improves significantly. Reheat gently. Freezes very well for up to 3 months.

Frequently Asked Questions