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Belacan Fried Chicken - crispy and juicy Malaysian fried chicken marinated with cilantro and Asian seasonings. So delicious!
Malaysia has some of the best foods that the world has to offer and I am not even biased.
If you have traveled to Malaysia, you would know what I mean.
Foodies all become an instant fan with our food.
Lucky for little G, I take him back to Malaysia every summer and he agrees that Malaysian food is absolutely delicious.
This Malaysian Belacan Fried Chicken is his favorite dish.
His eyes lit up when I told him that I was making him fried chicken for dinner.
Belacan is shrimp paste, which is a key ingredient in Malaysian recipes.
Much like fish sauce to Thai and Vietnamese cuisines, belacan is pungent but it adds amazing flavors and taste structure to our food.
For this recipe, you want to use shrimp sauce in a bottle, and not in a block.
This Malaysian Belacan Fried Chicken is extremely delicious, much like Thai Fried Chicken. It calls for only a handful of ingredients. It pairs beautifully with nasi lemak, the national rice dish in Malaysia.
Give me a choice, I would always go for Asian fried chicken. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe is only 312 calories per serving.
What To Serve With Malaysian Belacan Fried Chicken
For a wholesome meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.
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Other Recipes You Might Like
- Thai Fried Chicken
- Japanese Fried Chicken
- Korean Fried Chicken
- Ayam Masak Merah (Chicken in Spicy Tomato Sauce)
Malaysian Belacan Fried Chicken
Ingredients
- 6 small chicken drumsticks
- 1 tablespoon cilantro stems juice
- 1 tablespoon shrimp sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon sugar
- 1 egg white
- 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Rinse the chicken with water and pat dry with paper towels. Set aside. To prepare the cilantro juice, trim off the bottom 2 inches (5 cm) of the cilantro stems. Using a mortar and pestle, pound the stems to extract the juice, then use your hand to squeeze out any remaining liquid.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the shrimp sauce, sugar, egg white, sesame oil, cilantro juice, corn starch, and flour until smooth. Add the chicken and coat well. Marinate for at least 4 to 6 hours.
- When ready, heat a pot of cooking oil or preheat a deep fryer. Gently drop the chicken into the oil and deep fry until crispy and golden brown, ensuring the inside is fully cooked but remains juicy. Transfer the fried chicken to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess oil.
- Serve the fried chicken immediately with chili sauce on the side.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
yummi. its look very delicious. may i will try to make it :)
What is shrimp sauce ? Is it shrimp paste ?
My vein is born in Georgetown Penng and not knowing your current residency it is difficult to understand your recipes Is it cater for American palates
No this is an authentic recipe and tastes just like what you get in Penang.
Your recipes are the best ! I find I Rea
Lu relate being a malaysian expat!
Thanks I am so glad you love my recipes. Yes, they are all very yummy!
Read the instructions carefully before asking redundant questions. Duh….
This looks so delicious! Can’t wait to try it, I think I’ll prepare it this weekend. Thank you for the recipe!
where is the recipe?
The recipe is where the red bar “CLICK HERE FOR RECIPE”
How many stems would one need to extract a tablespoon of sauce? A fistful? More? Seems quite tedious for a small amount of something, although I’m sure the flavor is wonderful! Would mincing cilantro and immediately sprinkling a generous amount on the fried chicken provide the requisite flavor?
A bunch of cilantro, you can minced and add to the chicken to marinate but not ideal because when you deep-fry, they become black bits. You can skip the cilantro juice if you want.
How do you get cilantro juice?
Prepare the cilantro juice by cutting off the bottom 2-inch part of cilantro (the stems). Using a mortar and pestle, pound the stems and extract the juice from the stems using your hand.
This recipe looks delicious! Going to try it soon!!!
Awesome, thanks Jean.
How do you get cilantro juice from the stem?
Prepare the cilantro juice by cutting off the bottom 2-inch part of cilantro (the stems). Using a mortar and pestle, pound the stems and extract the juice from the stems using your hand.
You might try putting the stems into a small blender (like a magic bullet or some other brand) and blending. Then you can squeeze the juice out easier (especially if you have a small nylon net bag or cheese cloth).
Yes you can use a blender but the quantity of the stems are too little so might be hard to blend. That’s why I still suggest good old mortar and pestle.