Ayam Bakar: Grilled Chicken with Coconut and Spice
Ingredients:
- 1 medium whole chicken
- Coconut water (for braising)
- 4 cloves garlic
- 8 shallots
- 3 candlenuts
- 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger
- 1 thumb-sized piece of galangal
- 1 thumb-sized piece of turmeric
- Tamarind paste
- Lime or lemon juice
- A pinch of black pepper
- A pinch of coriander
- Bay leaves
- Kaffir lime leaves
- 1 stalk lemongrass
- Palm sugar, to taste
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- Salt, to taste
- Sweet soy sauce, to taste
Instructions:
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Prepare the Chicken: Start by cutting the chicken into four parts, or according to your preference. Rub the pieces with lime or lemon juice and set them aside.
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Prepare the Spice Paste: Toast the garlic, shallots, candlenuts, ginger, galangal, and turmeric in a dry pan until fragrant and slightly charred. Once toasted, grind these ingredients into a smooth paste. Alternatively, you can skip the toasting step and blend them directly if you prefer a quicker method.
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Cook the Spice Paste: Heat a small amount of oil in a large pan. Add the spice paste, lemongrass, galangal, bay leaves, and kaffir lime leaves. Sauté until the mixture becomes aromatic and well-cooked.
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Braise the Chicken: Add the chicken pieces to the pan. Pour in the coconut water and a bit of regular water to cover the chicken. Season with palm sugar, granulated sugar, salt, and a touch of sweet soy sauce. Simmer gently until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
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Prepare for Grilling: Preheat your grill or prepare a grilling setup. Thread the chicken pieces onto skewers to make grilling easier.
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Grill the Chicken: Grill the chicken over medium heat, occasionally basting with a mixture of the braising sauce and additional sweet soy sauce. Continue grilling until the chicken is beautifully charred and cooked to your liking.
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Serve: Remove the chicken from the skewers and serve hot with sambal (spicy chili sauce) and fresh vegetables or salad.
Enjoy the rich and flavorful taste of Ayam Bakar, a delicious grilled chicken dish that is sure to impress with its blend of aromatic spices and sweet-savory glaze!
