Yellow-y Coconut Gravy.

Ayam Masak Lemak Cili Api - (Chicken Cook in Spicy Yellow Curry.) Or in Google "direct" translation :- Chili Chicken Fat - huh! Wth!! That is so funny!

This is a Negeri Sembilan's dish. Its on the western coast of Peninsular Malaysia, just south of Kuala Lumpur and borders Selangor on the north, Pahang in the east, and Malacca and Johor to the south. I started to like eating this dish when dad started to eat them with cow's stomach. Euwww.. I only take the gravy, not the stomach. 

You can cook with anything using this ingredients. Like, I used chicken. But you can opt for fish, shrimps, BBQ/smoked sliced beef, eggs or even just veges. 

Well, usually the N9 folks used the smoked beef in this dish. But sadly, I don't have a BBQ pit in this apartment. Nor a balcony. Nor a window that opens! Wth! I feel like we live in an aquarium! *breath & be thankful...breath & be thankful...*

Anyways, where was I. Yes. I used chicken. The end. Below is the recipe, which is also my version of cooking them. Took some tips from my Mom, MIL, SIL and all the expert cooks and added my way to make it, well... my way. Heh heh heh! Good luck! 

The Ingredients are:-

1. Chicken (Clean & cut to desired size)
2. Coconut milk (250ml)
3. 1 tsp of Turmeric powder
4. Salt (I think I put 1 tsp or more..?) 
5. 8 Birds eye chili (I had like 6, cause the chilies here are super hot!)
6. 2 pcs of Asam Keping (Garcinia atroviridis.)
7. 2 stalks of  Lemongrass (bruised)
8. Large potato

Method:-

1. Blend turmeric powder, salt & birds eye chilies. Add a bit of oil to help blend. (If you have a mortar & pestle, then it would be better as it's the 'my Mom's, MIL's, grandma's' traditional way.)
2. Add in the chicken & mixed the blended ingredients in the cooking pot till combined. Let them mingle for a while before turning on the fire on medium.
3. Stir fry them without oil (but I used like a tsp cause I feel like if I don't, the chilies & chicken wont cook thoroughly & might get them stomach ache.) 
4. Add some water as it gets to dry. 
5. Add in the asam keping & lemongrass.
6. So, since I used oil, stir fry them till oil separates, chicken sweats & water boils.
7. Once boiled, pour coconut milk. Stir so that oil won't break.
8. Add (cut into 8 cubes or more) potato (optional).
9. Taste & season with salt & sugar if needed.
10. Keep stirring. And let it boils.
11. Once boiled, turn off fire & serve.

PS: Be very careful as this is a sweet & spicy dish. It is also very fattening as it used purely coconut milk. Eats well with Jasmine rice. 

PSS: I also recommend to do it a night before serving so that the coconut will thicken more and give the delicious, yummy & thick fat taste of the "masak lemak." hehehehehehehehehe!

After pouring in the coconut milk, let it boil for awhile. 

Voila! Ayam Masak Lemak is served! See the chili bits. Love them spicy!