Ayam Merah

Frankly, I don't have any better name for this chicken than Ayam Merah or Red Chicken in English. It is a simple spicy chicken dish that I usually make whenever I have too many soon-will-go-bad chilies in the fridge. I love chilies, I stock chilies and I use chilies in my food almost every single day. I am crazy about chili.

This is how soon-will-go-bad chilies look like. They are old and wrinkly but still good to be ground into chili paste.

ingredients
serves 4-6
700 g/1 lb 9 oz skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into pieces
4 tbsp cooking oil (I use more)
4 stalks spring onions, chopped

for the chili paste
1 large onion or 4 shallots
3 garlic cloves
10 fresh red chilies, deseeded
1 tbsp salt
1/2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp chicken powder
1 tomato

method
1. Process all the ingredients for the chili paste in a food processor.

2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and stir fry the chili paste for 5 minutes until it becomes aromatic. Season to taste with extra salt or extra sugar if needed. Cook for about 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

3. Add the chicken and cook, stirring constantly for 5 minutes or until well coated in the chili paste. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally for 15 minutes.

4. Turn off the heat. Stir in the chopped spring onions. Serve with cooked pandan/basmati rice.