Ingredients for Indonesian Fried Chicken:
- One 3½-pound chicken, cut into frying pieces
- 3 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- ¼ cup sliced shallots
- 3 candlenuts, crushed
- 1 fresh red hot chili, sliced
- 2 teaspoons coriander
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon tamarind, dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
- 1 piece of laos (galanggal)
- 1 stalk lemongrass
- ½ cup peanut or corn or vegetable oil
- Rub the chicken with 1 teaspoon of the salt and the lemon juice. Let it stand for half an hour; then rinse under cold water. Drain well.
- In the blender or a mortar, blend a sauce of the shallots, candlenuts, the remaining 2 teaspoons salt, the chili, coriander, turmeric and water.
- Prepare a large stockpot and put the chicken pieces in this pot.
- Pour this over the chicken pieces in the stockpot, and add the tamarind liquid, laos and lemongrass. Cook over medium heat for twenty minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporated.
- Remove the stockpot from the stove
- Heat the oil with medium high heat, and fry the chicken for about five minutes, or until it turns crispy brown. Remove, and drain on paper towels. Ready to serve.
Makes 4-6 servings, with other dishes.
Ingredients for Sayur Asam (Tamarind Vegetable Soup)
- Grind ingredients for spicy paste in a pestle and mortar or a food processor. Add some of the stock to add moisture.
- Add spicy paste mixture to wok along with the rest of the stock. Add crushed peanuts
and brown sugar; cook for 15 minutes.
- Strain the tamarind, discarding the seeds, reserving the juice.
- 5 minutes before serving, add the chayote slices, green beans and sweetcorn. During the
last minute of cooking add the watercress and salt to taste.
- Add the tamarind juice and taste for seasoning. Garnish with green chile.
Serves 4 | |
