Ayam masak merah literally means chicken cooked in red sauce. It may look like a chicken curry, but it is not really a curry dish. The tomato-based and turmeric base sauce is what contributing to its reddish-orange color. There are some chilis in the recipe, but it’s not enough to contribute to the color.
Masak merah
- Chicken (I always use skinless & boneless thigh meat - it's juicer and won't dry out like chicken breast will)
- Rempah Paste - my Ayam masak merah paste is a smooth blend of chillies, candlenuts or macadamia, ginger, galangal, garlic, shrimp paste, shallots and sugar. This acts as the main base of flavour. (Candlenuts, known as Kemiri in Indonesia help bind the paste and make the sauce creamy. You can use macadamia as a close substitute or switch out with peanuts or cashews).
- Tomato - To lend its vibrant colour, tomatoes put the red in the red curry along with a sweet tanginess.
- Aromatics - To enhance the flavour even more, the chicken is cooked with some kaffir lime leaves and lemongrass
- Coconut milk - brings the luxurious, creamy texture to the addictively delicious sauce.
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