Ready to eat: Mohd Azim Hamizi, preparing the grilled chicken that are sold during Ramadan along the roadside on Permatang Rawa, Bukit Mertajam. — ZHAFARAN NASIB/The Star
BUKIT MERTAJAM: Come Ramadan every year, there will always be that one sought-after delicacy for buka puasa.
On Jalan Permatang Rawa here, the classic ayam pasu (chicken grilled in flower pots) is the local favourite.
Ayam Pasu Permatang Rawa stall owner Solahudin Othman said on an average, he sells 50 to 80 ayam pasu daily.
“The demand is high and so far, business has been good.
“I used to sell my ayam pasu for RM24 last year but this year, because of the increase in the price of chicken, I have no option but to raise my price to RM27 per chicken,” said Solahudin, 43, who has been selling the delicacy for the past 10 years.
Fortunately, the price hike did not turn off his customers.
“Some of my customers don’t mind paying a little extra as they enjoy it. ”
Solahudin uses his own secret recipe to marinate and grill, sometimes up to 20 chickens at one time, in large unused flower pots.
The marinated birds are then placed on a grill pan over charcoal to roast and a smaller flower pot is used as a cover to cook them.
The chickens are roasted for about 30 minutes and in between, they are turned over and dabbed with special aromatic spices, which Solahudin prepares using recipes handed down by his parents.
Compared to other ayam pasu in Penang, his preparation has that “smokey” barbeque flavour.
“I have regular customers who return every year to my stall,” he said.
Solahudin opens his business daily at 2pm until buka puasa during the holy month.
