Terengganu Chicken Salad (Kay Chenh)

I did an earlier post on Terengganu Green Salad with eggs and I am revisiting this salad with steamed chicken. After a discussion with my Aunt, I have revamped the recipe to yield a much thicker and robust dressing.

Salad dressing.

My Aunt also enlightened me on the way the cucumbers are cut. Apparently, my grandaunts would cut the cucumber around the core and then cut the cucumber into strips like this :

Traditionally, the vegetables for this salad consist of pak choy, unripe papaya, cucumber, carrots, bean sprouts and the three herbs - mint, daun kesum (laksa leaves) and selasih (basil). I couldn't get bean sprouts so I replaced it with alfalfa sprouts.

Terengganu Chicken Salad (Kay Chenh)

Vegetables :

- Pak Choy, thinly sliced (see how it's done here)

- Carrots, grated

- Cucumbers, cut into strips

- Unripe papaya, grated

- Bean sprouts (I used alfalfa sprouts)

- Mint

- Kesum (Laksa leaves)

- Selasih (Basil)

Steamed chicken, sliced
Crushed peanuts and toasted sesame seeds to garnish

Dressing :

- 20 shallots

- 25 dried chillies (soaked to soften)

- 15g belacan

- 30g palm sugar (gula Melaka)

- sugar (to taste)

- 2 tablespoons tamarind paste mixed with 350ml water

- 150ml vinegar

- 2 tablespoons taucheow (beanpaste)

To make dressing :

- blend shallots, chillies, belacan and beanpaste.

- mix the tamarind juice and vinegar in a saucepan

- add blended ingredients

- add palm sugar (gula Melaka)

- bring the dressing to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until dressing is thick.

- taste to adjust - the dressing must be sweet, sour and salty

- Cool and store in the fridge. This dressing can keep for up to a month.

To assemble salad :

- Put the vegetables and chicken in a mixing bowl.
- Add dressing. Sprinkle crushed peanuts and toasted sesame seeds and mix until vegetables are well coated.
- Sprinkle more peanuts and sesame seeds if you like.

This salad is best eaten with keropok (fish crackers).