Recipe: Chicken Padpik (Padpik Ayam)

I have so much to blog about but things have been crazy of late. So by the time, the kids are tucked in bed, all I ever wanted to do is sit by hubby's side silently and listen to my own thoughts.

Anyway, we threw a little raya do last week and my Chicken Padpik was quite a hit. Decided to prepare another batch for hubs' friends and my ex colleagues a few days after. They finished the whole pot!

Some of you asked for the recipe? Here it is! This recipe I got from my aunt. For those who do not know, I come from a family of chefs and cooks. Everyone in the family owns their own food business. So when the recipe is from any of them, it is sorta guaranteed that the food will turn up amazing! #notkidding

Ingredients

Main ingredient
2 medium sized chicken, cleaned and cut into small pieces (2 ekor ayam saiz sederhana, dibersih dan dipotong kecil)

Ingredients A
7 - 8 lemongrass (7 -8 batang serai)
1 garlic clove (1 labu bawang putih)
5 big red onions (5 bawang besar merah)
1" ginger (1 inci halia)
1" turmeric (1 inci kunyit hidup)
1 table spoon of black pepper (1 sudu makan lada hitam)
Chilli (cili padi - secukup rasa)
3" shrimp paste (3 inci belacan)

Ingredients B
Tamarind juice (air asam jawa)
Water (air)
Palm sugar, salt and a bit of MSG if you like (gula melaka, garam dan MSG)
Kaffir lime leaves (daun limau purut)

Note: You can add in some blended dried chilli (cili guling) if you like. Your chicken padpik will be slightly brownish. I like mine yellowish hence just the turmeric.

Directions
1. Blend ingredients A.
2. Heat up a big pot (or pan) with 3 table spoon oil and fry the blended ingredients until properly sautéed (make sure you have enough space to stir so don't use a tiny pot).
3. Add in the chicken and stir until slightly dry (please note that there's water from the chicken that needs to be dried up to avoid unpleasant chicken smell).
4. Pour in the tamarind juice, palm sugar, salt (and MSG) and stir evenly.
5. Add a cup of water and cook until the chicken meat is tender (I usually cook for half an hour or more on small fire).
6. Lastly, add in the kaffir lime leaves. Stir occasionally. Your chicken padpik should be ready in 30 minutes time.

Chicken padpik can be eaten with rice or with nasi impit and ketupat as raya dish. Bon appetite!