Ayam Goreng Berempah (Spiced Fried Chicken)

Trim the tough ends of the lemongrass stalks. Peel the galangal and ginger. Peel the garlic cloves. Roughly chop the lemongrass, galangal, ginger, garlic, onion, and dried chilies.

Place all the prepared aromatics and spices (lemongrass, galangal, ginger, garlic, onion, dried chilies, turmeric powder, chili powder, coriander seed powder, cumin powder, fennel powder, white pepper powder, salt, and sugar) into a blender. Add water to help with blending. Blend until a smooth paste forms.

Pour the blended paste through a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl. Press down on the solids with a spoon or gloved hands to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids; we only need the flavorful liquid.

In a large bowl, combine the strained spiced paste with the curry leaves, cornstarch, and eggs. Mix well. Add the chicken pieces to the bowl and use your hands (preferably with gloves) to coat each piece thoroughly with the marinade. Ensure every piece is well-covered.

Cover the bowl and let the chicken marinate for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator. For deeper flavor, you can marinate it for several hours or even overnight.

In a large wok or deep fryer, heat a generous amount of cooking oil over medium-high heat. The oil is hot enough when a small piece of chicken sizzles immediately upon contact.

Carefully add the marinated chicken pieces to the hot oil, being careful not to overcrowd the wok. Fry in batches for about 8-10 minutes per batch, or until the chicken is golden brown, crispy, and cooked through. Turn the chicken pieces occasionally to ensure even cooking.

Once cooked, remove the fried chicken from the oil using a spider strainer or slotted spoon. Place the chicken on a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain any excess oil and maintain crispiness.