Ayam Percik — Malaysian Grilled Chicken in Spiced Coconut Gravy

⏱ 75 min · Serves 4

A Kelantan classic: chicken thighs bathed in a fragrant lemongrass, chilli and turmeric coconut sauce, then grilled until the edges char and the gravy thickens into something you'll want to spoon over rice twice. Sticky, smoky, gently fiery and deeply comforting.

Per serving: 682 kcal · 45.0g protein · 16.0g carbs · 50.0g fat

Ingredients

• 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 1.2kg)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 10 dried red chillies, soaked in hot water 15 min (or 2 tbsp chilli paste)
• 4 fresh red chillies, deseeded
• 6 shallots, peeled
• 4 garlic cloves
• 3 lemongrass stalks, tough tops removed, sliced
• 4cm piece galangal, peeled and sliced
• 4cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 400ml coconut milk
• 1 tbsp tamarind paste
• 1 tbsp palm sugar (or soft brown sugar)
• 2 kaffir lime leaves
• 1 tsp salt, to taste
• Juice of 1/2 lime
• Steamed jasmine rice and cucumber slices, to serve

Method

1. Slash each chicken thigh twice to the bone and rub with 1 tsp salt and the ground turmeric. Set aside while you make the paste.
2. Blitz the soaked dried chillies, fresh chillies, shallots, garlic, lemongrass, galangal, ginger and ground coriander to a smooth paste with a splash of water.
3. Heat the oil in a wide pan over medium heat and fry the paste for 10–12 minutes, stirring, until darkened, glossy and no longer smelling raw.
4. Stir in the coconut milk, tamarind, palm sugar and lime leaves. Simmer 5 minutes, then season with salt and lime juice. It should be sweet, sour, salty and hot.
5. Pour half the sauce over the chicken, turn to coat and marinate 20 minutes (or up to overnight in the fridge). Keep the rest of the sauce back for basting and serving.
6. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan or fire up a barbecue. Roast the chicken skin-side up on a lined tray for 30 minutes, basting twice with reserved sauce.
7. Turn the heat to 220C (or move to the hot barbecue) for a final 8–10 minutes until the edges char and blister.
8. Reheat the remaining sauce, loosening with a splash of water if thick. Spoon over the chicken and serve with jasmine rice and cool cucumber.