Don’t let Covid-19 put a damper on Deepavali festivities this year. There are still many ways to make the occasion special whether you are celebrating with just the family around the table or a handful of friends.

Why not try your hand at a pot of chicken sambal this time around?

A favourite of Malaysians from all walks of life, chicken sambal is one of those dishes for which everyone seems to have their own recipe.

Some people add belacan for a kick while others swear by cinnamon for more depth of flavour. One person prefers just a mild spiciness and others prefer a four-alarm chilli fire.

Whatever your pleasure, this is a simple dish to cook that goes well with both plain white rice or ghee rice, perfectly paired with a cooling serving of raita to offset the spiciness.

Here is a simple but delicious version to impress the family with this Deepavali, compliments of Sheena Haikal of Sheena’s Cooking Passion.

Ingredients

• 3 large onions, sliced
• 2 tablespoons ginger and garlic paste
• 2 stalks lemongrass
• 5 tablespoons chilli paste made with dried chillies
• 1 whole chicken, cut into serving pieces and marinated with turmeric powder and salt
• 2 tablespoons chilli sauce
• 1 red chilli
• 1 green chilli

Method

• Deep-fry the chicken until fully cooked, but not crisp and keep aside.
• Sauté the ginger and garlic paste and lemongrass in some of the oil used to deep-fry the chicken.
• Add half the sliced onions to the pan and sauté till they change colour.
• Add in the dried chilli paste and fry over a low flame until the oil separates.
• Season to taste with salt and add two tablespoons of chilli sauce.
• Add the fried chicken with a cup of water and mix well.
• Stir in the remaining onions, one green chilli and one red chilli.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and serve.

For more mouth-watering recipes you can try this Deepavali, visit Sheena’s Cooking Passion on Facebook.