Sri Menanti Grilled Chicken

(Ayam Panggang Sri Menanti Chef Wan)

This recipe comes from Chef Wan , and was a hit with the household.
A recipe to try when opening your fast ,specially from Malaysian Delicacies.

Ingredients:

4 Tbsp / 2 fl oz, Palm or Vegetable Oil
1.5 kg / 3lb 4 ½ oz Chicken, cleaned and halved lengthwise
2 litres / 64 fl oz / 8 cups coconut  Cream (Santan Pekat)
3 screw pine leaves/daun pandan , shredded and tied in a knot
2 lemongrass/serai, bruised
2 Tbsp / 1 fl oz Honey
500 g / 1 pound Pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into cubes
6 Tbsp / 3 fl oz roasted, pounded desiccated Coconut (Kerisik)
1 Calamansi Lime (Limau Kalamansi, Limau Kasturi), squeezed for juice
Salt to taste
Sugar to taste

Spice Paste Ingredients: - to be finely grounded

8 Red Chilies, deseeded if desired and sliced
6 Bird's Eye Chilies (Cili Padi), deseeded if desired and sliced ( I omitted this)
6 Candlenuts (Buah Keras, Kemiri)
10 Shallots (Red Onion), peeled
7 Kaffir Lime Leaves (Makrut, Daun Limau Purut), center stem removed
1 cm Galangal (Lengkuas, Blue Ginger), thinly sliced
1 Lemongrass (Serai), sliced thinly
3 Garlic cloves, peeled
1 cm / ½ inch ginger,
1 cm / ½ inch Turmeric (Kunyit), knobbed & peeled
Water to blend

Method:

Heat oil in a large pot and fry bruised Lemongrass and Screw Pine Leaves (Daun Pandan) over medium-low heat until fragrant.

Add in the Spice Paste, mix well, and cook for another 10-15 minutes, or till water evaporate.

Add in Chicken halves, increase heat to medium, and stir until well coated. Cook Chicken, stirring and turning occasionally for about 10 minutes.

Add in Pineapple cubes, Coconut Cream and salt. Bring to a simmer, and then reduce heat to low and cook slowly for 20 minutes or until gravy thickens, stir frequently.

Add in Lime Juice, Honey, and roasted, pounded desiccated Coconut (Kerisik). Simmer (stir occasionally) for a further 10 minutes, and then season dish with salt and sugar. Turn off heat.

Remove Chicken from gravy and grill (broil) over hot charcoal for 10 minutes. Basting with gravy, chicken would be turned from time to time. Alternatively, use oven-grill for similar effect.(I used the microwave grill,produced a beautiful grilled chicken)

Put Grilled Chicken on serving plate and spoon gravy over it or onto the side. Garnish and serve as desired.