Ayam Percik recipe

I was going to blog about something else but something else just happened and I just have to write about this.

This is the continuation of the Chicken Varuval post I wrote. Yin How keeps asking me to cook for his parents to let them try my cooking. And each time I refuse because like I said before, my parents-in-law earn a living by cooking so they know what's good and what's not. Also, I don't think my mother-in-law initially thought that I was housewife material. I didn't know how to cook, and I actually had a pampered childhood compared to Yin How so I'm not street-wise like him and I come from a very untraditional family.

A few years ago, Yin How fell very sick until he had to be admitted to the hospital. After he was discharged, his mum insisted that Yin How go home with her instead of following me home, saying that I could not cook for him (in other words, I could not look after him). I was offended, but what she said was true, I could not cook. Because of this, I was determine to be a great homemaker and at the same time try my best in my career as well. I basically just wanted to prove to myself that I can do both.

Anyway, back to the story, my parents-in-law unexpectedly dropped by for a visit. They are currently still here waiting for my brother-in-law to fetch them back to Butterworth. I had already prepared dinner the night before, marinating the chicken overnight to roast for dinner today.

Yin How's mum was curious about my roast chicken and said she wanted to try it. I was sitting there nervously thinking, "oh crap, oh crap, what is she going to say?" She took a bite while I anxiously waited to hear what she would say.

And she said....

"Ho chiak ah" and not once, a few times.... then she turned to Yin How and said in Hokkien, "Good loh, you get to eat food like this".

Fuiyoh!!! I could almost hear angels behind me singing "Hallelujah! Hallelujah!" I was trying very hard not to grin crazily from ear to ear. I have finally passed the mother-in-law taste buds test.... I'll shall declare this as another "today in history" day. Lalalala...

Anyway, the dish I cooked which earned a "Ho Chiak" rating from my mother-in-law is the following recipe. This round, I used evaporated milk instead of coconut milk because it's healthier. However, using coconut milk makes the chicken tastier.

http://kuali.com/recipes/viewrecipe.asp?r=1649

Ayam Percik

Ingredients
1.5kg chicken, cut into 6 pieces
50g tamarind paste mixed with 100ml water (squeezed for tamarind juice)
300ml thick coconut milk Spices (ground and combined):
5–6 shallots
3 cloves garlic
2cm piece ginger
1 stalk lemon grass
4 tbsp chilli paste
1 tsp cinnamon powder Seasoning:
1–2 tsp salt or to taste
½ tsp pepper
½ tsp ground black pepper

Method
Combine ground spices with tamarind juice and coconut milk. Put chicken pieces in large mixing bowl. Pour in combined spices, coconut milk mixture and add seasoning. Mix well until chicken is coated with marinade. Keep in the refrigerator for several hours or preferably overnight. Remove and grill the marinated chicken pieces over a charcoal pit or bake in the oven until meat is cooked and slightly charred.