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There are two types of fried chicken. One with crispy crust where the chicken is coated with egg and flour before it’s deep fried, the crispy exterior makes the chicken addictive but this is not always the healthiest choice (unless it’s cooked in an air fryer that uses less oil, such as this crispy prawn paste chicken). Another one is marinated with seasoning and deep fried as is, the chicken skin is crispy and light to the bite. The latter is frequently cooked in my household, due to its simplificity. Whichever the cooking method, we always use kampong chicken, or free-range chicken. And this turmeric fried kampong chicken recipe is exactly that.
What is kampong chicken or free range chicken
Kampong chicken isn’t your everyday supermarket bird, it’s leaner, firmer, and smaller than the normal chickens you’ll find in supermarkets. The term “kampong” means village in Bahasa Malayu. The name “kampong chicken” actually refers to chickens traditionally raised in villages where they roam freely in natural surroundings, instead of being cooped up in the cage.
How to make turmeric fried kampong chicken
Making turmeric fried kampong chicken is really straightforward. Just rub on salt and turmeric powder on the kampong chicken, then deep fry it. Sometimes I sneak in a bit of lemongrass if I have it on hand. The chicken soaks up all these flavours, the skin crisps up golden and crisp, while the meat stays juicy and tender inside.
This dish reminds me of comfort home cooked food. Nothing fancy but full of flavours.
Ingredients to make turmeric fried kampong chicken
Simple ingredients, that’s what makes this turmeric fried kampong chicken taste so good. There are only 4 ingredients in this recipe:
- Turmeric for the flavour. I used turmeric powder here but it’s perfectly alright to use fresh turmeric. But be careful, turmeric stains easily. My friend’s white counter top got stained by fresh turmeric before. Turmeric is a golden-orange spice that looks like ginger. It has also been used in ayurvedic and other forms of traditional medicine in China and India. The active ingredient in turmeric is a natural compound called curcumin, which has both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
- Salt for the seasoning. I used fine salt in this recipe.
- Cooking oil using a neutral flavoured vegetable oil.
- Kampong chicken which I bought from the NTUC Fairprice supermarket. It’s pre-chopped into bigger pieces. I washed it clean and removed visible fats.
Turmeric Kampong Fried Chicken
Detailed Step-by-Step Video
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg kampung chicken, or free range chicken
- 2-3 cups vegetable oil, enough to cover the chicken
- 2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1-2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Marinate 1.5 kg kampung chicken with 1-2 tsp salt and 2 tsp turmeric powder. Leave the marinade for 30 minutes.
- In a large cooking pot, heat 2-3 cups vegetable oil over medium-high heat.
- Add the marinated chicken into the pot and fry for about 7 minutes to fry until golden brown.Use a pair of wooden chopstick or tongs to turn the chicken to ensure even frying.
- Remove the chicken from the oil and place on paper towel to drain off the oil.Enjoy eating while warm.
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