Malaysian Chicken

When we were in Bali we met the author of a Malaysian Cookbook, Christina Arokiasamy. Her cookbook is called: The Spice Merchant’s Daughter. Her mother obviously was a spice merchant and she grew up loving to cook. We bought a copy of her book and asked her to recommend some recipes. She recommended several. We decided to make Whole Roasted Chicken in Tamarind Butter Sauce.

It is one of several recipes that we have made that roast chicken on a rack over water. It is an excellent way to roast chicken because the steam keeps the chicken very moist. We made Couscous to go with the chicken. It is a great recipe!
We have found one particular brand of Couscous that we really like. It is called: m'hamsa hand-rolled couscous from Tunisia. It is far better than any other couscous we have ever eaten. Click herefor their web.

We started with a Corn and Avocado Salad with Cherry Tomatoes.


Whole Roasted Chicken in Tamarind Butter Sauce
From The Spice Merchant’s Daughter by Christina Arokiasamy

My mother was celebrated for her roasted chicken, which was tender and flavorful right to the bone. She first made this recipe for one of our regular customers at our spice stall and soon enough could hardly keep up with the orders. I enjoyed standing beside her as she made it, watching the palm sugar, butter, and tamarind as they caramelized. In this recipe, we never used the reserved juices from the pan as the tamarind sauce was so delicious on its own. However, you may serve the reserved sauce on the side if you wish. Just before
serving, my mother would sprinkle in a handful of fried chiles for an extra kiss of flavor. serves 6 »

Chicken
2 TEASPOONS CORIANDER SEEDS
4 STAR ANISE
ONE 4-INCH CINNAMON STICK
2 GARLIC CLOVES, PEELED
'A CUP SOY SAUCE
ONE 41/2- TO 5-POUND WHOLE CHICKEN

Sauce
1 TABLESPOON UNSALTED BUTTER
1/2 CUP PLUS 2 TABLESPOONS TAMARIND LIQUID
2 TABLESPOONS FISH SAUCE
1/4 CUP SOY SAUCE
½ CUP PALM SUGAR SYRUP (OR BROWN SUGAR
1/2 TEASPOON CAYENNE

Tamarind Liquid

MAKES 2 CUPS
Put half of a 14-ounce block of tamarind in a medium bowl. Add 2 1/2 cups hot water and allow the tamarind to sit for 10 minutes to soften. Using your fingers, squeeze the tamarind block (like you would squeeze a sponge) until the pulp separates from the seeds and dissolves in the water. Strain the tamarind liquid into a medium bowl. Discard any seeds and pulp that have not dissolved. The strained tamarind liquid should be reddish brown. Store tamarind liquid in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Palm Sugar Syrup
MAKES 1 CUP
To facilitate using a small amount of palm sugar at a time, make liquid palm sugar by cooking an 8-ounce block of palm sugar in 1 ½ cups water over medium heat until melted, without stirring. The syrup is ready when large bubbles appear on the surface. Let it cool before pouring it into a glass jar. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. You may substitute Lyle 's Golden Syrup (available at gourmet markets) or brown sugar for palm sugar, although the taste will not be as mellow

To prepare the marinade, put the coriander, star anise, and cinnamon in a skillet over medium-low heat. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until fragrant and slightly darkened. Set aside to cool.

Put the toasted spices, garlic, and soy sauce in a food processor or mini-chopper. Blend until you have a smooth paste.

Put the chicken in a glass baking dish and pour the marinade over the chicken, rubbing inside and out with the spices. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours,
preferably overnight.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Put the chicken on a rack, reserving the marinade, and then place the rack on top of a baking pan. Fill the pan with 1/2 inch of water.

Roast the chicken for 1 hour, basting the chicken with the reserved marinade every 20 minutes.

Roast for 30 minutes longer without basting, until the juices run clear when you prick the thigh with a fork. Remove the chicken from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before carving.

While the chicken is resting, put a saucepan over medium heat. Add the butter, tamarind liquid, fish sauce, soy sauce, and 1/4 cup water and bring to a boil. Add the palm sugar syrup and cayenne, stirring gently to dissolve the sugar. Bring to a boil and cook for 3 minutes, until the sauce is deep reddish brown in color and slightly thickened.

Carve the chicken, arrange the pieces on a platter, and pour the sauce over them.