One such dish is claypot chicken rice – a smoky, flavour-packed favourite traditionally made with Chinese pork sausage and rice cooked over an open flame.
Determined to make it accessible to all, one Malay man has recreated the dish using halal ingredients.
If Ahmad Muzakin’s claypot chicken rice sounds familiar, it’s because it made headlines in 2023 – though not for the best reasons.
A viral social media video sparked controversy, with accusations that the dish he cooked contained non-halal ingredients. The claims, however, were later proven false.
More than a year after the incident, FMT Lifestyle visited Restoran Ahmad Muzakin in Sri Petaling to see how they’re doing today.
Right at the restaurant’s entrance, you’ll spot Ahmad behind the roaring charcoal flames, handling the claypots.
The 50-year-old explained that while he’s only been running his restaurant for 18 months, he has been cooking claypot chicken rice for over 40 years, initially working for a Chinese kopitiam just around the corner.
“For many years I worked for a developer here in Sri Petaling. I started thinking, how long am I going to be an employee? I wanted to be my own boss.”
One day, while walking around the area, Ahmad came across a Chinese kopitiam selling claypot chicken rice.
“I approached the Chinese man and asked, ‘Boss, can I work for you?’ The boss replied, ‘You’re Malay, can you handle this kind of work? It’s very hot.’ I said I could because I wanted to learn.”
And that’s how it all began.
Today, Ahmad is a true master of his craft. He begins by cooking the rice in a claypot over a charcoal fire for 10 minutes. Next, he adds the marinated chicken, along with ginger, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, his homemade garlic oil, salted fish, and spring onions.
The he lets everything steam for five minutes, and when it’s done, the aroma alone is enough to make you drool.
FMT Lifestyle gave his dish a try, and it definitely hit the mark.
The rice is fragrant, with a sweet and salty balance that’s just right. The crispy rice at the base adds great texture, but the real highlight is the juicy chicken. Ahmad uses only drumsticks – a rarity even in traditional Chinese versions.
Clearly, he’s put his own spin on the dish, offering unique variations like claypot lamb rice and claypot duck rice.
“I want everyone to be able to taste this, to taste the Chinese flavours,” Ahmad said.
He added that it’s not just about the food – he believes any Malaysian can master a skill, regardless of culture.
“Who knows, one day, other Malays might want to do this kind of business too. I did it, and now, Alhamdulillah, it’s successful. If one day someone else would like to learn from me, I would be happy to teach them.”
When Ahmad takes a break, his wife steps in to help. Fun fact: both of them speak fluent Cantonese. While claypot chicken rice is the star, the restaurant also serves a variety of other halal Chinese dishes, including steamed fish.
Addressing the controversy in 2023, Ahmad clarified what really happened. “People watched the video on social media and mistook the bottle of sesame oil for rice wine because the Chinese version typically includes it.”
Despite the false accusations, he said business has remained steady, especially among regulars.
“Every day, there’s a queue here until the place is full. Around lunch time you can see people from all backgrounds, all races coming in – Chinese, Malay, Indian.”
This couple’s experience reflects the reality of working in a multicultural society – adapting, overcoming misconceptions, and staying committed to one’s craft.
So, whether you’re after a halal version of this classic Chinese dish or not, Ahmad’s claypot chicken rice is definitely worth a try.
Restoran Ahmad Muzakin
1 GF, Jalan Radin Anum 2
Bandar Baru Sri Petaling
57000 Kuala Lumpur
Business hours: 11am-10pm daily