Recipe : Rendang Ayam (requested)

This is my my family's favourite all times - my mom recipe for Rendang Ayam. I prepare this dishes without fail every year. Compliments a rendang with Lemang, Ketupat, Nasi Lemak or even Lontong. Its all up to your liking. The cooking times are quite suffering, well it depends on how much of chicken/beef that you're need. There is no step-by-step photo (sorry) since I'm not plan to post this recipe at first. So let's get started

(Serve 10 persons, cost +-RM40)

The Ingredients :

8-10 shallots

2 inch galangal (Lengkuas)

3 lemongrass (bottom@white part only)

A bulb of garlic

3-4 inch ginger (I'm always double the amount of ginger from galangal)

2 inch tumeric, or you can use the tumeric powder - 2 - 3 teaspoon.

+- 20 dried chilies (cut, boiled and seeded) - I don't measure it accurately, just give and take the amount.

(all the above ingredient are to be blend until fine)

1/4 cup of cooking oil

3 cup thick coconut milk - from 1 coconut

2 lemongrass - cut into 10cm length and pounded

2 tumeric leaves - sliced

3 kaffir lime leaves - sliced

Kerisik

Salt and sugar to taste

and of course, whole chicken - cut into 16 pieces.

The method :

1 . Add cooking oil into wok over high heat, pour the blended ingredients. Stir fry until it become a little bit dry. I will say until the it produce a nice aroma, about 5 minutes. 

2. Add half of coconut milk and chicken. Reduce heat to medium and keep stirring and bring the ingredients to boil. 

3. You might get tired waiting the coconut to thickened (more than 1 hour). However, you cannot speed up the process by turn the heat into high. The bottom of wok will get hardened and hangit and it will totally effect the whole taste. So be sure you have to stir often, and really take your time doing it.

4. When the gravy become thick, pour the remaining coconut milk and lemongrass. Keep stirring and bring everything into simmer for about 30 minutes or until the gravy become thick, again.

5. Now the chicken is really tender and it's the time for kerisik. Kerisik will thickened your rendang gravy and add extra ummph.

6. Keep stirring and you will notice an oil from coconut and kerisik will start float. Add the tumeric and kaffir lime leaves, stir them really good. Add sugar and salt. 

'Eid Ul-Adha (Hari Raya Haji/Korban)

'Eid Ul-Adha, the second festival most grandly celebrated all by Muslims over the world, after Aidilfitri. On 10th Zulhijjah, Eid Ul-Adha celebrated about two months after Aidilfitri, it marks the end of the haj pilgrimage period (about two weeks). That's the reason why it named Hari Raya Haji. Every year millions of Muslims make the journey to the Holy Land of Mecca to perform the haj, a requirement in Islam as it makes up one of the five tenets of the religion. As long as they have the means to do so, and are able health-wise, Muslims must perform the haj at least once in life. Alhamdulillah my dad completed his haj few years ago.

The story behind Aidiladha:  The sacrifice made by the Nabi Ibrahim ("korban" which means sacrifice), who demonstrated immense faith when he was put to the test by Allah. He was commanded to offer his only son Ismail up for sacrifice, and though it grieved him greatly, he made ready to perform the task. However, as he was about to strike his son, Allah stopped him and revealed that it was a trial. 

As such, during Aidiladha, the sacrifice of animals such as lambs, goats, cows, bulls and camels is performed. In Malaysia, cows are commonly chosen due to the facts that the availability. They are slain in accordance with the proper religious rites/ceremony, the meat is then distributed.

1/3 of the meat is given to the individual who willingly supplied the animal, while the rest is given to the needy or poor and deserving friends and relatives. It is to be noted that this is not a compulsory religious duty, but an obligation for those who are able to afford it.

Though in Malaysia the celebration of Aidiladha is relatively solemn compared to Aidilfitri, by no means is it less important, for it is a day when Muslims reaffirm their faith in Allah, be thankful for the many blessings that He has bequeathed to them.

I'd like to share my moment celebrating 'Eid Ul-adha with you (yester yester yester years :)). Enjoy..