I bought Mas curry laksa paste, to make curry laksa and I have some paste leftover. Decided to use it on my chicken drumsticks as I don’t like to waste food. To me, this curry paste can be a marinade as well. Well, it is an incredibly rich, fragrant, and complex flavoured in the drumsticks. Saw on one recipe using baking powder. I tried it on my drumsticks. It’s not as crispy as I wanted but at least I did tryout.

“Laksa is a spicy noodle soup from Malaysia, also found in Singapore and Indonesia. The base for curry laksa noodle soup is curry laksa paste, a blend of sautéed ingredients like dried chilies, galangal, lemongrass, turmeric, and shrimp paste, creating a rich flavour in a coconut milk broth. This versatile paste can also serve as a marinade, with its heat varying based on the chilies used.”

“Chicken drumsticks are a source of high-quality protein and essential micronutrients like iron, zinc, and B vitamins. They support muscle repair, energy production, and immune function, but have a higher fat content than chicken breast. To reduce fat intake, it’s advisable to remove the skin and use healthier cooking methods.”

I forgot to place my drumsticks on a rack; the marinade stuck to the foil. I’m glad the drumsticks have absorbed the incredibly rich, fragrant spice chili flavour. It’s indeed a finger-licking and delicious meal, bringing me back to Malaysia’s hawker cuisine. Let’s bake!!!

Ingredients

10 huge chicken drumsticks
some leftover Mas curry laksa paste
3 Tsp garlic powder
3 Tsp onion powder
3 Tsp baking powder
2 Tsp baking powder
2 Tsp cayenne powder (OPT)
oil
spray oil

Method

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Line a tray with foil. Remember to place a rack on the foiled tray. (I forgot).

Mix all the marinade ingredients in a metal shallow plate. Wash hand clean and rub oil all over the drumsticks. Next rub/marinade one drumstick in the prepared mixed marinade ingredients. Shake excess off. Repeat with remaining drumsticks. Spray the oil generously all over the drumsticks.

Bake for 30 minutes. Halfway through, flip over the other sides. For you using the rack; rotating the tray. Baste the drumsticks with the juice from marinade, using a clean pastry brush. Increase the oven to 200 degrees C. Bake for a further 15 minutes or until the skin is crispy. Enjoy with a cold beer!!!

Notes: Check drumsticks after the first 30 minutes. If they seem to be browning too much on top, loosely cover them with foil and keep cooking until they are cooked through. Cayenne powder greatly improves the flavour. It adds a hint of spice without overwhelming curry laksa flavour. But if you’re not a fan of spicy foods like me, use just 1 Tsp or even less 1/2 Tsp or a pinch. You can omit it completely. You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat them in oven same 180 degrees C until heated warm; cover with foil loosely. I usually cut drumstick chicken meat into pieces with or without skin, and use it in a in another dish. You can use it in salad.

From one of the recipes that I had browsed saying: You could also use chicken wings (same cook time and temp) or skin-on, bone-in thighs (bake 35 minutes at 180°C fan; then 15 minutes at the higher temperatures, per recipe). Substitute cayenne powder for smoked paprika: more ordinary/sweet paprika.

Baking powder is a secret trick to make chicken skin crispier, a tried and proven method with chicken wings. It doesn’t make these drumsticks shatteringly crispy because they’re seasoned rather than being plain skin (like the wings) but if you make these drumsticks without, they are noticeably less crispy. You can’t taste the baking powder. For crispy undersides! Don’t have a rack? Line with paper instead and turn the drumsticks halfway, and expect to add an extra 5 to 10 minutes to the bake time to make the top crispy.

https://helenscchin.com/2023/11/16/baked-chicken-drumstick-in-curry-laksa-paste/

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