The chicken in ayam masak lemak is usually not deep-fried ; it’s typically simmered or braised in coconut milk with aromatics until tender and fully cooked.

Typical method

  • The chicken is often first seasoned or briefly seared with turmeric and salt.
  • Then it’s cooked with a spice paste, lemongrass, and other aromatics in oil until fragrant.
  • Coconut milk is added, and the dish is gently simmered over low heat until the chicken is cooked through.

What that means in practice

The chicken absorbs the coconut-rich sauce as it cooks, so the texture becomes tender rather than crisp. In some versions, the chicken is pan-fried first to firm it up a little, but the main cooking still happens by simmering in the gravy.

In one line

Ayam masak lemak cooks the chicken by gentle simmering in coconut gravy , sometimes after a quick sear or pan-fry.

TL;DR

It’s usually cooked slowly in coconut milk with spices, not fried until crisp.