The Food Canon

There are many types of Ayam Goreng and I hardly stick to a fixed recipe, apart from being consistent with a few basics behind a good fried chicken Malay style.

This latest recipe is quickly becoming one of my favourite for its simplicity and great results.

I have been making it as a side dish with Nasi Ulam, a recipe which I will be blogging soon.

I have always been curious about the "crispies" that I see on the Ayam Goreng which is served in Malay stalls in Malaysia. After some conversations with makciks (they are always friendly and willing to share their tips...some will even let me see who they cook them in their kitchens!) I finally figured out that it came from blended or pounded ginger. The blended ginger sticks to the chicken when fried and adds texture and flavour.

I have already blogged the Sambal Udang recipe.  

Many of you will know that belimbing goes very well with it. Belimbing is a sourish fruit that grows well here. Being a pastor, I have no shortage of belimbing as there will be a some members out there who have one of these trees in his/her garden.

Knowing that their pastor like to cook, I get plastic bags of them regularly. After all, belimbing goes to waste pretty quickly after they are plucked or when they ripen. And gifts from your garden to the pastor makes a lot of sense, though I have yet to declare such gifts on my annual tax returns.

Belimbing cooks very quickly and I normally add them within the last few minutes of the dish. I cook the sambal first, and then the prawns and the last thing that goes in are the slices of belimbing.

As for preparation, salt the belimbing in a colander beforehand to draw out the liquid.

This dish is appetising. Eat it with mint leaves, cucumber and steaming hot white rice.

And somehow, it always tastes nice eaten with hands.

Lemon grass and belimbing (right)