Inchi Kabin Two Ways

Malaysian Nonya Fried Chicken Re-imagined for the Barbecue!

Inchi Kabin, Inchi Kebin, Enche Kabin or any combination of spellings refers to Nonya (Malaysian Peranakan)-style fried chicken. In its simplest incarnation, Inchi Kabin is chicken marinated with spices and coconut milk and deep fried till crispy, and traditionally served with a dipping sauce featuring a surprising ingredient – Worcestershire sauce, an oh-so-British remnant of their colonial rule in Malaysia.

As much as we love fried chicken (doesn’t everyone?), it’s not something that we eat on a regular basis. On the other hand, it is summer at the moment and therefore by unwritten law, numerous barbecues must be conducted.

This year, I’ve been cooking spatchcock chickens with wild abandon thanks to a recent discovery courtesy of Serious Eats. So the question became whether I could adapt the principles of Inchi Kabin to grilling the chicken on the barbecue instead of frying it.

To that end, I started by spatchcocking and marinating a whole chicken with a blend of spices, coconut milk, and fermented red bean curd. Fermented red bean curd isn’t a classic addition, but I did see it used in a recipe from Penang Nonya A-Ma Secret Recipes. It lends an interesting dimension to meat dishes, so I included it here for something a bit different – but leave it out if you so wish!

From top to bottom: Spice mix, fermented red bean curd and coconut milk

Many recipes call for a ready-mixed curry powder, but if you are so inclined you can use a mix of your own ground or whole spices to taste. I’ve used a combination of whole and pre-ground spices here, so feel free to subtract or add any that you fancy. In a further nod to the British legacy, I’ve added some mustard powder to the mix as well…you often see mustard incorporated into the dipping sauce, but I’ve integrated it into the marinade in order to keep the sauce light and tangy.

I then deep fried half as per the traditional method, and threw the other half down onto the barbecue to grill up a treat. Here are the results…

The fried version…

And the the barbecue version…

At the end of the day, I discovered that Inchi Kabin is like Highlander – there can be only one. Deep frying produces that crisp outer layer and helps to caramelise the spices and coconut milk, concentrating those flavours and showcasing them in a way that barbecuing can’t achieve.

However, while barbecuing the chicken isn’t Inchi Kabin, it still produces a worthy dish in its own right.

The barbecued chicken emerged much more tender and juicy, and had a better balance between the taste of the spicing and the chicken itself. The charring from the barbecue also adds its own character but means that the aroma from the spices isn’t as intense.

What I liked about the barbecued version is that it becomes much more versatile. Not everyone is able to (or indeed may want to) deep fry chicken, so this methods offers a tasty alternative to serve for dinner with the option of using up leftovers for salads or sandwiches etc.

The recipe below is for the barbecued version of the chicken. If you want to fry the chicken as per the standard method, simply cut the chicken into pieces (or use already-jointed chicken pieces), coat with the marinade overnight, and deep fry till golden brown and cooked through.

Recipe adapted from Nyonya-Style Spiced Fried Chicken, Cradle of Flavour by James Oseland

Chicken cooking method adapted from The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science by J. Kenji López-Alt and Serious Eats.

* Before barbecuing the chicken, I recommend you read this article, which is much better written than mine!

Disclaimer – This recipe is still in a fairly embryonic stage and will probably take a little more work to fully take flight. If you make this and have any comments or suggestions, post them here and help improve the recipe!

Barbecue Inchi Kabin

Print Recipe

• CourseLunch, Main
• CuisineMalaysian

Servings

4 people

Servings 4 people

Barbecue Inchi Kabin Print Recipe CourseLunch, Main CuisineMalaysian Servings 4 people Servings 4 people

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken, about 2 kilograms (spatchcocked)

For the marinade

• 2 and 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt (equivalent to 15g salt by weight)
• 2 - 3 teaspoons chili powder (depending on your heat preference)
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 2 cloves
• 2 points star anise
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground tumeric
• 1 teaspoon mustard powder
• 75 mililitres coconut milk
• 25 grams fermented red bean curd (Optional - roughly equivalent to 2 cubes)

For the dipping sauce

• 30 grams shallot (finely sliced - about 1 medium shallot)
• 1 long red chili (finely sliced)
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons lime juice (about the juice of 1 lime)
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons white sugar

Servings: people

Instructions

For the marinade

1. In a small pan, toast the whole spices till lightly browned and fragrant. Grind till fine in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder and combine with the salt and remaining spices.
2. Lift up the skin at the neck end of the chicken and using your fingers or a spoon, loosen the skin on the chicken breast to create a pocket between flesh and skin (you want the skin to stay mostly attached). Take 1 tablespoon of the salt and spice mix and rub it under the skin over the two breasts, and then smooth the skin back down over the meat.
3. If using the fermented bean curd, in a small bowl, mash it to a smooth paste and mix in the coconut milk till you achieve a smooth consistency. Stir in the rest of the salt and spices, and cover the chicken completely with the mixture, then leave to dry out and marinate in the fridge, uncovered, for 24 hours, or overnight.
4. Preheat your barbecue. If using charcoal, spread the coals over one half of the barbecue to create both hot and cool zones. If using a gas barbecue, set half the burners to high and the others to low.
5. Place the chicken skin side up on the barbecue, a little more towards the cooler side, with the legs pointing towards the hotter side. This is so that the legs cook more quickly than the breasts. Cover the barbecue and cook for about 30 minutes.
6. If using a gas barbecue, reduce the high burners to medium. Flip the chicken so it is now skin side down and move it over towards the hotter side of the barbecue. Position the chicken so that the breasts are pointed towards the cooler side. Cover and cook for a further 10 - 15 minutes or till the chicken is done - test with a thermometer or till the juices run clear. Rest for 5 minutes before serving.

To make the dipping sauce

1. Mix the Worcestershire sauce, lime juice, soy sauce and sugar together and stir till the sugar is dissolved. Five minutes before serving, add the shallot and chili and mix well.

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