Malaysian Spiced Fried Chicken,  or Ayam Goreng Berempah in Malay, is something I make very often. I teach the recipe along with nasi lemak at my cooking class. The result? Sometimes, I eat it almost every day!

So I came up with a healthier version of it. This is one of my proudest inventions. I even shared this recipe with Nicol David in our Cook Off Challenge. Check out my Youtube video tutorial to see how I do it!

HOW IS IT HEALTHY?

1. BAKED Insted of deep-frying it in oil, I bake it
2. COATED WITH SEEDS To get the crispy texture, instead of coating it in breadcrumbs, I coat it in seeds
3. SPICES I use a lot of powdered spices including turmeric
4. NO OIL I don’t use any oil. Sometimes I like to good oil e.g 1  tbsp of coconut oil

TOOLS

• AirFryer/ Oven
• Blender
• Knife + chopping board

RECIPE CARD

SHORT RECIPE

With a bit of tweaks, it’s possible to make our favourite food healthier.

Do try it and let me know how you like it!

The post Healthy Malaysian ‘Fried’ Chicken | Ayam Goreng Berempah – No Oil, No Breadcrumbs, Keto-friendly appeared first on New Malaysian Kitchen.

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This is the simplest nuggets you can make yet no less flavourful. I use chicken breast (just like McD) and season it with garlic and onion powder. Both of these powder gives the MSG-like taste that we are so used to at fast food restaurants. Of course, there’s salt and pepper too. Lastly, they are dipped in eggs and breadcrumbs (I like to use panko), before frying.

Why is our homemade nuggets better than store-bought ones?

1. You know what goes into your nuggets.
2. No artificial flavouring. Only natural seasonings are used.
3. Made with quality seasonings e.g sea salt instead of table salt.
4. Made with the best meat that we can get: fresh and/or free range-chicken.
5. We don’t reuse cooking oil.

How is sea salt better than regular table salt?

Convenient protein

I like making my own homemade nuggets to freeze. To me, it’s convenient protein. When I’m hungry and need some snacks, I’ll just dump it in the oven or air-fryer to reheat. When there are unexpected guest, I can serve them with something homemade and delicious. It’s a wonderful fingerfood to serve at parties too!

TOOLS

• Wok + spatula
• Food processor

RECIPE CARD

SHORT RECIPE

Process 400 g chicken breast into a paste. Add 1 tsp garlic powder + ½ tsp onion powder + ¼ tsp black pepper powder + 1 tsp salt and blend. Form 1 tbsp of minced chicken into nugget size + dip in 1 whisked egg + dip in 1 cup breadcrumbs. Repeat. Fry until golden brown. 

STEP-BY-STEP

PREP: In a bowl, whisk egg. In a shallow dish, pour in breadcrumbs.

BLEND CHICKEN: Chop chicken into large chunks and blend in a food processor until it turn to a paste.

SEASON CHICKEN: Add garlic powder, onion powder, white pepper powder, and salt. Mix well.

FORM NUGGET PIECES: Form 1 tbsp of minced chicken into nugget size. Dip in whisked egg, then dip in breadcrumbs, and place on a plate. Repeat until all chicken is coated with breadcrumbs.

FRY NUGGETS: Heat oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Deep-fry chicken for about 3 minutes or until golden brown.

SERVE: Dish out. Serve hot with a side of chili or tomato sauce.

COOKING TIPS

1. Freeze the nuggets. I normally don’t make this nuggets for eating immediately. It’s my homemade snack when I’m busy or to serve unexpected guest. This is something I make with the intention to freeze. To reheat, bake in oven at 180°C  for 10 minutes.
2. Double the amount. This recipe makes about 20 pieces of nuggets. Sometimes I double the amount. Since I’m already going to spend some time making it, might as well make more.
3. Not too cooked. If you intend to freeze the nuggets, you don’t have to fry until they are completely cooked. It’s enough to fry until the chicken paste is formed into a light golden, solid nuggets.
4. Use fattier parts with some skin Initially this recipe use chicken breast. I tried it a few times. It tastes best using chicken leg with skin.

Make some of these delicious nuggets to freeze. When you’re hungry and need some snacks, you’ll thank yourself for your foresight!

The post Homemade Chicken Nuggets – 7 Ingredients appeared first on New Malaysian Kitchen.

Although this recipe needs very little ingredients, it can be challenging for a new cook. Why? It involves deep-frying. Also, the last step of coating the doughnuts with sugar glazing is not easy either.

However, when made right, it is absolutely delicious. I love bringing this to parties – it’s easy to pick up with fingers and pop into the mouth and always a hit.

My favourite part of making this dessert is glazing the crispy doughnuts with sugar. It’s almost magical to see sugar syrup turn into beautiful snow-like flakes which stick onto the doughnuts!

I like biting into a warm doughnut which is crispy on the outside, soft in the inside, and have different kind of sweetness from sweet potato and sugar. Oh, so good!

TOOLS

• Frying pan
• Spatula
• Chopstick
• Wire rack/paper napkins
• Fork/ potato masher

RECIPE CARD

SHORT RECIPE

Steam and peel 600 g of peeled and chopped sweet potatoes. Mash. Add 6 tbsp flour + 1 tsp salt. Knead. Shape into 15 doughnuts. Fry until golden brown. Make sugar syrup: boil 6 tbsp sugar + 5 tbsp water until thick & bubbling. Off the fire. Mix doughnut until sugar crystallises and coats doughnuts.

COOKING TIPS

1. Use a stand mixer If you have a stand mixer with a dough hook/ knead attachment, use it! It’s so much easier than kneading with hands. Perhaps kneading a small amount of dough is fine. However if you double or triple the recipe, a stand mixer will be a time and energy saver. I normally use a stand mixer.
2. Flavour sugar syrup with pandan leaves. Tear one pandan leaf into a few slits and tied into a knot. Put it together with the sugar and water when making sugar syrup. It will add fragrance into your dessert.
3. To make crispy doughnuts, you must:
   • Add doughnuts into the oil only when the oil is hot enough. Use oil with high smoke point like palm oil.
   • Fry until the doughnut is slightly brown. Don’t afraid of brown spots on the doughnut. It’s delicious and it will be covered with sugar flakes later.
   • Place the doughnuts on a wire rack or paper napkin. Make sure they are separated to avoid the steam from the doughnut from softening the other doughnuts.
   • Add doughnuts into sugar syrup only when the sugar syrup is thick enough. Do not do so when the syrup is still watery.
4.  Adjust the size of the doughnut to your liking. I like to make sure that each doughnut is evenly fried. So I measure each ball. About 50 g is just right for a doughnut that is neither too big or small. For a regular size doughnut, 60 g is good.
5. If you like your dessert very sweet, make more sugar syrup. I’ve adjusted this recipe so that it’s not too sweet. I prefer the sweetness to come from the sweet potato instead. If you have sweet tooth, add another 2 tbsp of sugar when making sugar syrup.

Enjoy!

The post Kuih Keria/ Malaysian Sweet Potato Doughnuts – 5 Ingredients appeared first on New Malaysian Kitchen.

This is an incredibly easy dish when you’re in a rush. It’s delicious, filling, and can be made in under 10 minutes. I found that many Indian family in Malaysia make this often and have it with rice. My family who is used to ‘blander’ Chinese cuisine for dinner however prefer to have it with bread instead.

TOOLS

• Wok + spatula

ACTIVE TIME

10 minutes

RECIPE CARD

SHORT RECIPE

Fry 2 sliced onions, 2 sliced chili, and 2 stalks of curry leaves in 2 tbsp of oil. Add sardine and sauce. Mash. Cook until sauce boils. Add 1 tsp chili powder. Cook until dry.

COOKING TIPS

1. Control the heat As I like this food spicy, I like to add 2 – 3 tsp of chili powder. If you don’t, 1 tsp is enough. You can omit it entirely too if you can’t take spice at all.
2. Fillings for sandwich You could also use if for sandwich fillings
3. Leftover for breakfast If you make this dish for dinner and can’t finish, use it to make sandwich for breakfast.
4. Party food If you’re asked to bring sandwich to a potluck party, consider making this.

Enjoy this simple yet delicious dish!

The post Sardine Peratal – 5 ingredients, 10 min appeared first on New Malaysian Kitchen.

I have long searched for a simple and satisfying curry recipe. I’ve tried many chicken curries – Southern Indian curry with spices like cinnamon and curry with lemongrass for example – but somehow I never make them much. Then I found this Punjabi-style chicken curry and been making it rather often.

It’s the easiest chicken curry that I’ve cooked – so I don’t feel overwhelmed with all the spices and steps. The only three spices involved are: curry powder, coriander powder, and cumin powder. Besides, the curry is much milder – not too hot or spicy. I like to enjoy my curry without hissing from (over) generous amount of chillies.

This recipe is from Aunty Gucci, a Punjabi teacher who claims that she doesn’t like to cook, but makes delicious chapati and curry effortlessly. Maybe because of the fact that she doesn’t like cooking complicated meals that makes her recipe so easy to follow. Instead of using coconut milk (which you can’t keep for long), she uses coconut cream powder instead. How clever!

If you like to make a pot of chicken curry that is easy, not too spicy, and delicious, this recipe is for you.

TOOLS

• Pot/Wok with lid
• Blender
• Chopping board + knives + peeler

ACTIVE TIME

25 minutes

RECIPE CARD

SHORT RECIPE

Blend: 5 red onions + 10 cloves garlic + 1 inch ginger + 2 red chili + 1 sprig coriander + 1 tomato + 2 tbsp curry powder + 1.5 tbsp coriander powder + 1.5 tbsp cumin powder. Cook paste in 1/2 cup of oil for 10-15min. Add 2 chopped chicken thigh + 2 peeled potatoes + 2 cups of water. Cover and cook for 15 minutes. Flavour with 2 tbsp coconut powder + 1.5 tsp salt.

COOKING TIPS

1. Curry consistency You can adjust the consistency – wet or dry. If you like more sauce to dip with chapati or to pour over rice, then dish out before it turns dry. If you like drier curry, let more water evaporate.
2. Freeze and reheat I like to make them to freeze. When you want to reheat it, just add a little water and cook for about 5 to 10 minutes. You can also reheat in the microwave, but I like reheating on a small pan which I also use to serve (pictured).
3. Coconut cream powder. Using santan powder is so much more convenient. That’s because when I open the UHT coconut milk, I’ll have leftover coconut milk which I may not need yet. I think coconut cream powder is good enough for everyday meal. However, Aunty Gucci told me that coconut milk will make this dish tastes much better.
4. Grind your own coriander and cumin powder. I’ve made this dish a few times. The first time, Aunty Gucci gave me the spices she grinded. The second time, I bought it from the supermarket. Boy, I can tell the difference; the freshly grinded ones is so much more fragrant. I was told a good quality curry powder is also important. Aunty Gucci suggested Baba’s brand (meat) curry powder.

Good luck!

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