Malaysia's prime minister has entered the row over a chicken dish that was incorrectly criticised on MasterChef for not being "crispy".

Gregg Wallace, one of the show’s judges, said the Malaysian-born contestant's chicken rendang curry was flawed.

"The skin isn't crispy. It can't be eaten but all the sauce is on the skin I can't eat," said Wallace.

Image: Rendang dishes are popular in Malaysia and Indonesia. Pic: FAZRY ISMAIL/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock

His stinging assessment has led to ridicule on social media, with people pointing out that the chicken in a rendang curry should never be crispy.

Malaysia's prime minister Najib Razak tweeted a picture of the curry along with the words: "Does anyone eat chicken rendang 'crispy'? #MalaysianFood”.


Image: Gregg Wallace wanted the chicken crispy - much to the anger of many Malaysians

The dish is popular in Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei and southern Thailand.

A wave of rebuttals from people in Southeast Asia has put the MasterChef judges firmly in their place.

Mana ada orang makan rendang ayam 'crispy'? #MalaysianFood pic.twitter.com/nWBbaVN8HY — Mohd Najib Tun Razak (@NajibRazak) April 3, 2018

"This is Chicken Rendang @JohnTorode1 . I dont know where is the crispy part? Can u tell me? #crispyrendang," tweeted @AlauddinAniq.

Another user, Cikno, posted: "I have never in my life eaten a chicken rendang which is crispy."

This is Chicken Rendang @JohnTorode1 . I dont know where is the crispy part? Can u tell me? #jgnkataabgtakpayung #crispyrendang pic.twitter.com/xWXG52d5tL — MaaZ97 (アニメ) (@AlauddinAniq) April 3, 2018

Britain's High Commissioner to Malaysia, Vicki Treadell, also tried to simmer down the culinary spat.

She tweeted: "#Rendang is an iconic #Malaysian national dish not to be confused with Indonesian options. It can be #chicken #lamb or #beef It is never #crispy & should also not be confused with the #friedchicken sometimes served with #nasilemak."

In response, fellow judge John Torode posted online: "Maybe Rendang is Indonesian!! Love this !! Brilliant how excited you are all getting .. Namaste."

The contestant whose meal sparked the backlash, Zaleha Kadir Olpin, was cooking the rendang as part of traditional Malaysian dish, nasi lemak.

Despite praise for most of her meal, she was eliminated - but has vowed to keep cooking the traditional way.

"So proud to have served this and will keep cooking the way my family loves them," she said on Instagram. "No changing to a traditional nations favourite."