Ayam Merah

1. Marinating the Chicken
– Marinate the chicken drumsticks with salt and turmeric powder (Ingredient A). Let it
rest for 30 minutes.

2. Cooking the Chicken
– Fry the marinated chicken in a pan until golden brown on the outside, or spray with oil and air fry at 180 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes until golden brown. The inside doesn’t need to be fully cooked. Let excess oil drip off the drumsticks.

3. Preparing the Blended Paste
– Toast the belacan until dry and fragrant. Alternatively, wrap it in aluminum foil and air
fry for 10 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius until fragrant. Let it cool.
– Blend all the ingredients listed in Ingredient B until a smooth paste forms.

4. Sauteing the Paste
– Heat a pan with oil and sauté the blended paste until aromatic and the oil is cooked through. Add water if the paste is at risk of burning.
– Add the seasoning (Ingredient C) to the paste and mix well.

5. Adding Other Ingredients
– Put in chopped onions, peas and tomatoes, allowing them to boil before adding in the
fried chicken and shredded kaffir lime leaves.

6. Cooking and Serving
– Bring to a boil for 5 – 10 minutes, then turn o the fire. Your dish is now ready to serve.
– Serve with steamed white or coconut rice.

Tips:
– For a healthier version, use organic, hormone-free, or kampong chicken, olive oil for cooking, and air frying instead of deep frying.
– Nyonya cooking can be time-consuming, so consider making large batches and storing
the paste in the freezer for future use.