KOTA SAMARAHAN: A retired soldier has been serving up tasty grilled chicken since 2017, and he has a unique of doing this.
He grills the chicken in flower pots, something he picked up when he was stationed in Malaya years back.
Anizan Hussein said he started selling his popular ayam panggang pasu at his Taman Samarindah home here during the Ramadan month.
He would sell around 60 to 70 grilled chickens, making between RM500 to RM600 a day.
However, as demand grew, the 51-year-old from Perlis said he now had to open daily so as not to disappoint his customers.
“Every day, I would grill about 30 chickens.
“Usually, my grilled chickens are sold out before 6pm but if after operating hours there are still some left, I will donate them to the neighbours,” he said, adding that when he first started out, his grilled chickens were often burnt as he had yet to master the skill of controlling the grill and heat.
Asked what were the differences between his grilled chickens and that of others, Anizan smiled and said his was grilled in a pot and not over charcoal.
“Chicken grilled in a pot is more aromatic and tastes better.”
Using his own recipe in addition to his wife’s sambal kicap pedas (spicy soy sauce paste), he explained that to make sure the grilled chickens taste good, they should not be marinated for too long for fear of losing the taste of the chicken.
“A chicken can also only be grilled for 45 minutes to an hour. If more than that, the meat will not be juicy.
“I use 12 pots and they will be changed frequently as I only use regular flower pots and not the clay ones (as used by traders in Malaya).
“Regular flower pots are not heat resistant which is why they need to be changed frequently.”
As for pricing, he said: “I only charge RM20 each as I want anyone who wants to taste my grilled chicken to be able to buy it.”
Anizan, who has been living in Sarawak since 1995, said during the movement control order period, response was still good, and “the only complaint I get is about the dipping sauce – customers say it’s not enough!”
However, he is worried every time it rains because if the raindrops get into his marinated chicken, this could affect the quality.
When asked on whether he had plans to open a physical store, he said he was still mulling this over as “all my children are still in school.”
Anizan can be reached at 012-8970554 or customers can visit his stall (Ayam Panggang Pasu Samarahan) at Taman Samarindah.
