Ayam Golek Gaya Pahang (Pahang Style Spicy Grilled Chicken)

I've cooked Ayam Golek before and I realize that there are a few variations of this dish within the states in Malaysia. There is the Kelantan style and Terengganu style. And when I came across the Pahang version, I thought it would be perfect  to try it and submit to Malaysia Food Fest Pahang.

I am again using Ms Betty Saw's recipe from Rasa Malaysia. The ingredients are pretty much similar to the ayam golek I cooked previously except that the method is slightly different and curry powder is added to the spice paste. The chicken is first marinated with tumeric powder and salt and then grilled before basting with the spice paste. 

Chicken marinated with tumeric and salt and the spice paste ingredients.

The spice paste is cooked separately and I find that the curry powder adds a different dimension to this dish.The ayam golek turned out delicious, however I find the addition of one tablespoon of sugar a little too sweet for my liking. If I cook this dish again, I would leave out the sugar. 

Spice paste cooked over the stove.

Serve the ayam golek with plain rice and some cucumber acar. And be sure to be generous with the spice paste. It is the spice  paste that carries this dish and makes it so super delicious. 

My favorite chicken part, the whole leg.

Not a difficult dish to cook, just spend a little time peeling the onions and chuck the spice paste ingredients into the blender. After that, add in the other components and simmer away. Try this over a weekend, you will not regret it. This dish also freezes well.

Ayam Golek Gaya Pahang

Recipe source : Rasa Malaysia by Betty Saw (Bahasa Malaysia version, page 134)

My adaptations are in red.

Ingredients :

- 1 whole chicken, about 1.5kg cut into halves and scored at back and thighs (I cut into quarters, no scoring)

- 2 teaspoons salt

- 1 teaspoon tumeric powder or 2.5cm fresh tumeric, pounded (I used 2 teaspoons)

- 1.5 tablespoons meat curry powder (I used 1 whole small packet of Baba's meat curry powder)

- 1 tablespooon sugar (I will omit this in my next attempt, too sweet for me)

- 1 teaspoon salt (to add to blended spice paste)

- 1/2 teaspoon seasoning powder (I omitted)

- 2 small pieces asam gelugur/asam keping

- 500ml thin santan, squeezed from 1 grated coconut with adequate water (I mixed 200ml packet santan with 250ml water)

Blended Ingredients :

- 25 dried chilles, soaked (I used 15 dried chillies, deseeded)

- 300g shallots

- 2 stalks lemongrass

- 1.25 x 1.25cm ginger

To garnish (I omitted)

- Salad leaves

- Tomato

- Cucumbers

- Red Chillies

Method :

- Marinate chicken with salt and tumeric for 15 minutes.

- Mix blended ingredients, curry powder, sugar, salt, seasoning powder, asam gelugur and santan in a saucepan and simmer over low heat until thick.

- Grill chicken for 15 to 20 minutes until both sides are brown and cooked (I grilled in the oven at 180C for 15 minutes)

- Spoon the gravy onto chicken and continue to grill for 5 minutes until fragrant and oil rises to the top (After grilling the chicken for 15 minutes, I kept basting the chicken generously every 10 minutes for another 30 minutes until the chicken is cooked and gravy is thick and slightly browned).

- Serve and garnish with with salad leaves, tomatoes, cucumber and red chillies.

I am submitting this post to Malaysian Food Fest, Pahang Month hosted by WendyinKK of Table for 2.....or more.