Ayam percik (grilled chicken wings with savoury coconut sauce)

Ayam percik (in Malay, percik means 'to splash'), features a marinated chicken, grilled over open fire, basted with a flavoursome sauce. This fragrant and smoky dish gained popularity throughout Malaysia and can now be found in high-end restaurants in Kuala Lumpur. Serve with a refreshing tomato, cucumber, lime and coriander salad.

Ayam percik (grilled chicken wings with savoury coconut sauce) Credit: Jiwon Kim

• serves

  4

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  20 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

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Ingredients

• 1.5 kg free-range chicken wings, wing tips removed
• ¼ cup (60 ml) vegetable oil
• 2 stalks lemongrass, white part only, sliced
• 2 pieces asam gelugor (see Note)
• 2 makrut lime leaves
• 2 cloves
• 3 cardamom pods
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 400 ml coconut milk
• 250 ml water
• steamed rice, to serve
• tomato and cucumber salad, to serve
• lime juice and fresh coriander, to serve

Marinade

• 1-2 tsp chilli powder, to taste
• 2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp sugar
• salt

Spice paste

• 8-10 dried chillies, soaked in hot water until soft, drained, coarsely chopped, reserve liquid
• 4 candlenuts
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled
• 5 shallots (150 g), peeled, coarsely chopped
• 1 lemongrass, white part only, thinly sliced
• 3 cm x 3 cm piece ginger, coarsely chopped
• 3 cm x 3 cm piece galangal, coarsely chopped

Marinating time: overnight

Instructions

1. Combine the marinade ingredients in a medium bowl. Sprinkle the marinade on the chicken wings, then transfer to a large press-seal bag. Massage well, then marinate for 2 hours, preferably overnight, refrigerated.
2. To make the spice paste, combine the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and use the reserved chilli-soaking liquid to help turn the mixture into a paste.
3. Heat the vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, then add the prepared spice paste, lemongrass stalks, asam gelugor, makrut lime leaves, cloves and cardamom pod and cook, stirring, for 5-6 minutes, until fragrant. Add the sugar, coconut milk and water and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly, 5-7 minutes. Season the sauce and discard the lemongrass stalks. Allow to cool.
4. When ready to cook, bring the chicken wings to room temperature and drain the marinade. Heat a chargrill pan or barbecue, then cook the chicken, skin-side down, basting occasionally with the prepared sauce, turning the wings occasionally. Cook for 20 minutes, or until cooked through and nicely charred. Test the doneness of the chicken by inserting a skewer into the thickest part of the wing to see if the juices run clear.
5. Serve the ayam percik with steamed rice, tomato and cucumber salad, lime juice and fresh coriander. Serve any leftover coconut sauce for extra kick.

Note

• Asam gelugor is a sour fruit of the mangosteen family and it is sold in dried slices. If you can't find it, substitute tamarind or lemon peel. Alternatively, you can cook this on a charcoal grill. When the glowing coals have a light coating of ash, spread the chicken skin side down and cook, basting it now and then with the sauce and continue to cook as outlined in the method.

Photography by Jiwon Kim.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

Stream free On Demand

Winging It!

Watch the full episode here

PG

Watch the full episode here

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