BTW, are you back to UK now, or still travelling?
I am not Malaysian. Never been to Malaysia. Only eaten two Malaysian meals (two restaurants in Greater Manchester). You can conclude that I have no idea whatsoever what may or may not be “authentic”.
I do know that I love crispy chicken skin and will always eat it. I also know that I don’t like flabby skin and will generally not eat it. So, if all the spicing is on flabby skin, then I’m going to miss out on the intended flavour.
FWIW, for those with access to the Good Food Channel in the UK, you might enjoy John Torode’s “Malaysian Adventures” series. https://goodfood.uktv.co.uk/shows/john-torodes-malaysian-adventures/
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I think here too, the French would have prefered the crispy skin for the chicken, even for the fish for the modern bistronomy. I wonder the debate is on Malaysian food vs English perception on MY food or more ethnic vs modern food.
Looks like Torode knows enough of Malaysian food. I wonder what the UK audiences feel about this.
When 2* chef Michel Roux used to judge Professional Masterchef I remember him regularly criticising chefs who had served fish without crisping the skin. His point was that, if it wasnt crisp, the skin should be removed in the kitchen and not served. Agree completely.
I love this part of the article:
“Though labelling rendang an Indonesian dish and signing off with “namaste”, a respectful greeting used on the Indian subcontinent, may yet stoke more flames.”
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You won’t believe the hoo-ha generated in Malaysia - you’d think they haven’t anything else more important to worry about! 
Personally, I don’t even think that Gregg Wallace said that chicken rendang should be crispy, he just stated he preferred crispy chicken. But it came out all wrong.
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As if UK had invaded MY. At least you can see the Malaysians united, usually they seem (to me) to be are quite indifferent and divided among themselves.
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Been there, done that.
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John, I think that was also what Gregg Wallace intended to mean. But the Malaysian social media went into over-drive and everyone here just went nuts, with the local politicians and media personalities all jumping into the fray.
I always casserole chicken with the skin on and make chicken curries in the same way. The skin adds flavour and body to the sauce.
If you don’t like the skin then don’t eat it - I don’t. The meat is cooked in the sauce so should absorb flavour…don’t understand Greg’s point about the sauce being on the skin.
Back in London now. Bit of a culture shock and far too cold.
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Greg will have now presuumably pissed off the Portuguese community by criticising a chicken piri-piri dish for also not having crispy skin, in last night’s episode.
Down to final four - and I still wouldnt like to pick the winner (although it won’t be the person I’d been supporting since the beginning, as she was eliminated last night).
Seems he will not accept non crispy (chicken) skin. It’s like being judge in a photographic contest, the decision boils down to that one person’s personal taste.
When I was little ~ 4 - 8 yr phase; use to love and savor the soft silky skin of a good poached chicken
This photo of Grand Cafe (Grand Hyatt Hong Kong) is courtesy of TripAdvisor
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I wonder how he would judge coq-au-vin.
If he’s anything like me, it’d go like this.
" That looks like you’ve made it in a traditional manner but I’m going to cut off that flabby skin before I eat the meat."
Just because something is made according to tradition, it does not necessarily make it pleasant to eat. Maybe the French enjoy the flabby skin in a casserole, but I’m not French and don’t.
You don’t have any traditional English recipe that doesn’t have a crispy skin?
Yet to outgrow that phase. 
Hainan Chicken? Soy Sauce Chicken? Korean Ginseng Chicken Soup? Claypot Rice with Chicken and Shitake? Coq Au Vin?
Bring it on!!!
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John - I assume if you just cut of the skin you happily crunch through the bones 
We all know you cook meat on the bone and with skin and cartilage attached as it all contributes to the flavour and body of the dish.
Some people like the skin and eat it others leave it on the side of the plate. The same is true of fish skin, or the fat on a chop or steak., whole spices in curries etc etc.
Just because they are in the dish doesn’t mean they are eaten.
I’m sure there must be recipes out there, but I can’t think of one - certainly nothing that I cook
