Ayam Berempah/Spicy Fried Chicken feat. LITS Amma's Malaysian Sambal

Ayam Berempah Recipe 

Ayam Berempah or Ayam Goreng is a super popular way of making fried chicken in Indonesia and Malaysia. What makes this unique from traditional fried chicken is the rempah or spice paste that the chicken is covered and marinaded in. We take this to an even higher level by using our Amma's Malaysian Sambal in both the rempah and as a spicy dip. Before you ask, yes, you can substitute any other protein instead of chicken. We recommend trying this with a tilapia or basa fish fillets or if you're vegan, some hearty lion's mane, chantrelle or enoki mushrooms.

Ingredients:

For the Chicken:

• 6 pcs chicken wings
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp lime juice

For the rempah/spice paste:

• LITS Amma's Malaysian Sambal
• 3 shallots (chopped)
• 3 cloves garlic (chopped)
• 1-inch ginger (chopped)
• 2 stalks lemongrass (chopped)
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp cornflour (for extra crispiness)
• 2 tbsp water (if needed to blend into a paste)
• Handful of curry leaves (for frying)

For Frying:

• Neutral cooking oil - we recommend canola, sunflower or vegetable oil

Instructions:

1. Marinate the Chicken:

1. Rub chicken with salt, turmeric powder, and lime juice. Let it sit for 15 minutes.
2. Coat the chicken evenly with Amma's Malaysian Sambal mixture and let it marinate for at least 2 hours (or overnight for better flavor).

2. Fry the Chicken:

1. Heat cooking oil in a deep pan over medium heat (170°C–180°C).
2. Fry the chicken in batches, turning occasionally, for 8–10 minutes per side, until golden brown and crispy.
3. During the last minute of frying, add the curry leaves and rempah spice into the oil for extra fragrance.
4. Remove the chicken and curry leaves, then drain on paper towels.

3. Serve with Amma's Malaysian Sambal on the side