Indonesian Ayam Serundeng might well be one of their most strangely addictive exports. Fragrant fried chicken is dusted (or buried) in some of the most moreish crispy, crunchy deep fried coconut ever.
Using a blender or stick blender, blend into a smooth paste all the paste ingredients.
Mix the paste and grated coconut and set aside.
Using a sharp knife, stab the chicken all over, this will help the marinade permeate the chicken for better flavour.
Add the chicken to a large plastic zip-lock bag and then the marinade. Jostle the bag around to ensure all the chicken is mixed with the marinade. Refrigerate for 6-24 hours.
Once marinated, remove from the fridge and remove the chicken. Dust off any of the excess coconut and arrange it on a plate. Set the marinade aside separately.
Heat about 3-inches of the coconut or canola oil in a wok or deep frying pan to around 360ºF/180ºC. Gently add the chicken thighs and let them fry, in total for 15-20 minutes (depending on their size), turning a few times during frying. Drain on paper towels.NOTE: The internal temperature of the chicken should be +165ºF/74ºC and there should be no blood pooling when the meat is resting. If there is, fry for a few more minutes to ensure doneness.
Once all the chicken is cooked, you can leave it to cool or keep warm in the oven while you make the serundeng.
In the same frying oil, add half of the coconut mixture and let it sizzle. Stir well and then cook for 8-10 minutes until the coconut is deep golden in colour. Using a spider spoon, remove the coconut and spread it over clean paper towels. Using more paper towels, pat and rub the serundeng to mop up as much excess oil as you can. Leave this batch of serundeng to cool while you fry the remaining coconut and repeat the process.
To serve, make a generous bed of serundeng on a platter and arrange the chicken over. Scatter over more serundeng. I like to serve with a simple salad of cucumber and tomato to counteract the rich, cripsy coconut and chicken.
Notes
Making only the SerundengThis dish is Ayam Serundeng, meaning 'Chicken Serundeng'. The fried coconut component is the Serundeng and is a dish in its own right. Serundeng can be used separately as a snack or condiment - scattered over many different dishes. You can therefore make only this part using my recipe.
To make only Serundeng, combine the marinade ingredients and then skip the rest of the recipe and deep fry until golden. You can also combine with roasted peanuts and fried curry leaves for an extra pop of flavour and texture.
Storing and Preserving
Store the fried chicken and Serundeng separately - chicken in the fridge for up to 2 days and the Serundeng in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 weeks. Any leftover Serundeng will work as a garnish for many Indonesian and Malaysian recipes.