Ayam Masak Merah 
(Malaysian Chicken in Spicy Tomato Sauce)

User Reviews

5.0

3 reviews
Excellent
  • Prep Time

    15 mins

  • Cook Time

    15 mins

  • Total Time

    1 hr

  • Servings

    6

  • Calories

    621 kcal

  • Course

    Main Course

  • Cuisine

    Malaysian

Ayam Masak Merah 
(Malaysian Chicken in Spicy Tomato Sauce)

This vibrant, fragrant curry from Malaysia is bursting with South East Asian personality. A rich, tangy and spicy sauce coats juicy chicken. It's intensely flavourful and authentically delicious.

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Ingredients

Servings

For the paste (rempah)

  • 10 dried chillies
  • 5 candlenuts (or macadamia nuts)
  • 2 lices ginger
  • 1 lices galangal
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1 tsp shrimp paste
  • 1 cup shallots (sliced)
  • 1 tsp sugar

For the curry

  • 4 tbsp coconut oil (or vegetable oil)
  • cups coconut milk
  • 2.2 lb chicken thighs (boneless/skinless - cut into chunks)
  • 10 kaffir lime leaves
  • 2 lemongrass stalks (trimmed to about 6" and lightly bruised at white end)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup tomato pulp (passata)
  • 1 tbsp tamarind pulp
  • Cilantro for garnish
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Instructions

To make the paste (rempah)

  1. Soak the red chillies for 10 minutes in 1/2 cup just boiled water, then drain.Add them to a food processor with all the other paste ingredients and blend until smooth. Alternatively, use a stick blender to blend them together.----You can also pound until smooth in a pestle and mortar, starting with the chillies, galangal and ginger then shallots, candlenuts, garlic, shrimp paste and sugar one by one.

To make the curry

  1. In a wok or saucepan, heat the oil until hot then add the curry paste along with half the coconut milk. Fry for 5 minutes until the raw onion smell is gone. Add the chicken, lime leaves, lemongrass and salt and cook for a further 5 minutes.
  2. Add the tomato, remaining coconut milk and 1 cup of water and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 30 more minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thick and creamy. Add a little water if the sauce thickens too much.
  3. Stir in the tamarind pulp and simmer for 1 minute.
  4. Remove from he heat and serve, scattered with cilantro with lots of fluffy jasmine rice.

Notes

  • Better flavour
  • Alternative suggestions
  • Storage
  • Make a day ahead - the flavour is even better once it's sat in the fridge for 24 hours. Trust me!
  • Store bought curry paste - Thai red curry paste makes for a great alternative to blending your own. They have a similar taste profile so if you're short on time, this is a good option.
  • Stir-in additions - At the end you can stir in some fresh tomatoes to accentuate the red colour and give a burst of freshness. Be sure to also squeeze over some fresh lime too to bring a pop of zing.
  • Make it a seafood recipe - Instead of chicken, try shrimp/prawns or fish. When the sauce has been simmering for 20 minutes, add the seafood and cook for 5-10 minutes until cooked through.
  • Freezing - This curry freezes well, simply portion up and cook for 5-7 minutes in the microwave from frozen or until piping hot. Serve with rice or Indian bread. The curry will stay good for 3-4 months in the freezer.
  • Refrigeration - The curry will be good in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Nutrition Information

Show Details
Calories 621kcal (31%) Carbohydrates 16g (5%) Protein 31g (62%) Fat 50g (77%) Saturated Fat 26g (130%) Polyunsaturated Fat 6g Monounsaturated Fat 13g Trans Fat 1g Cholesterol 172mg (57%) Sodium 612mg (26%) Potassium 776mg (22%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 7g (14%) Vitamin A 440IU (9%) Vitamin C 8mg (9%) Calcium 63mg (6%) Iron 4mg (22%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 621 kcal

% Daily Value*

Calories 621kcal 31%
Carbohydrates 16g 5%
Protein 31g 62%
Fat 50g 77%
Saturated Fat 26g 130%
Polyunsaturated Fat 6g 35%
Monounsaturated Fat 13g 65%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 172mg 57%
Sodium 612mg 26%
Potassium 776mg 17%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 7g 14%
Vitamin A 440IU 9%
Vitamin C 8mg 9%
Calcium 63mg 6%
Iron 4mg 22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

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5.0

3 reviews
Excellent

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