Ayam Percik
Ayam Percik is the signature dish of Kelantan and Terengganu, on Malaysia's east coast, a region renowned for its sweet, coconut-rich cuisine, noticeably different from the rest of the country. The name 'percik' means 'to splash' or 'to sprinkle', referring directly to the repeated gesture of basting the chicken with sauce while grilling. In Kelantan, Ayam Percik appears at every major festive event, from weddings to religious holidays, often cooked in enormous quantities on improvised grills several meters long, with dozens of chicken pieces turned simultaneously by several cooks. The leftover sauce, often served separately alongside rice, is prized just as much as the chicken itself, with many people preferring to pour it generously over steaming rice.
Double coconut marinade
The chicken is first marinated in a spice paste, then repeatedly basted with a thick coconut milk sauce while grilling.
Charcoal grilling
The chicken pieces are traditionally grilled over charcoal, turned constantly to prevent the sweet coconut glaze from burning.
Ground spice paste
Dried chilies, shallots, garlic, and ginger are ground into a fine paste that forms the base of the marinade.
Kaffir lime leaf aroma
Finely sliced kaffir lime leaves are stirred into the coconut sauce, giving the dish a distinctive citrus aroma.
Ingredients 4 servings
- 1 whole chicken, cut into pieces
- 8 dried chilies, soaked
- 6 shallots
- 5 garlic cloves
- 3 cm ginger
- 400 ml thick coconut milk
- 2 tbsp palm sugar
- 4 kaffir lime leaves, finely sliced
- Salt to taste
How to make it
- 1The dried chilies soak in warm water for ten minutes, then are drained and ground together with the shallots, garlic, and ginger into a fine paste.
- 2Half of the paste is rubbed directly onto the chicken pieces, massaging well, and left to marinate for at least thirty minutes.
- 3The remaining paste is sautéed in a pot with a little oil, until lightly browned and releasing its aroma.
- 4The coconut milk is poured over the sautéed paste, adding palm sugar and salt, then simmered over low heat until it thickens into a velvety sauce.
- 5The finely sliced kaffir lime leaves are stirred into the sauce just before taking it off the heat, preserving their fresh aroma.
- 6The marinated chicken pieces grill over well-heated charcoal, turned frequently to cook evenly.
- 7The nearly-done chicken is generously basted with the coconut sauce several times, continuing to grill until it develops a glossy, lightly caramelized crust at the edges.
Nutritional info
per serving (~350 g)
Estimated nutritional values.
Pairs perfectly with
