Ayam Seraki Pedas - spicy stewed chicken

Ingredients

• 1000 gchicken
• 600 mlwater
• 9shallots
• 6 clovesgarlic
• 10red chillies
• 8, roastedcandlenuts
• 2 cmgalangal
• 1lemongrass stalk
• 1 tbsptamarind water
• 1 tspsalt
• 1 tbspbutter

Instructions

1. 1

   Cut the chicken

   Cut the chicken into 12 pieces.

2. 2

   Make the paste

   Pound or grind the shallots, garlic, red chillies, roasted candlenuts and galangal into a coarse paste.

3. 3

   Simmer the chicken

   Heat the water in a pan with the chicken, paste, lemongrass, tamarind water and salt. Cook until the chicken is done and the sauce has thickened.

4. 4

   Finish with butter

   Remove the chicken from the pan. Stir the butter into the sauce; once melted, spoon the sauce over the chicken and serve.

What is Ayam Seraki Pedas?

Ayam Seraki Pedas is a spicy Indonesian chicken dish, with ayam meaning chicken and pedas meaning spicy. This version simmers chicken with a ground aromatic paste rather than relying on a separate marinade.

The chicken cooks directly in the seasoned water, which reduces into a sauce. A little butter stirred in at the end gives the sauce a richer finish.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 1750 calories, 0g protein, 0g carbs, 0g fat.

Chicken provides most of the protein, while the water-based sauce has relatively little carbohydrate; the butter and candlenuts contribute fat. Serve a piece of chicken with a moderate portion of rice and vegetables to make a more balanced plate.

Build a coarse spice paste

Chillies and shallots: pound or grind them with garlic, roasted candlenuts and galangal until the mixture is coarse but fairly even. A mortar and pestle gives good control, while a grinder is a quicker option.

Candlenuts: roasting them first is part of the recipe and brings a toasted note to the paste. Grind them thoroughly so no large pieces remain.

Simmer until tender

Steady heat: let the chicken cook in the water with the paste, lemongrass, tamarind water and salt. Keep the pan at a gentle simmer rather than a hard boil.

Doneness: check that the thickest pieces are cooked through before taking the chicken out. The recipe gives no fixed simmering time, so use the chicken’s doneness and the sauce’s thickness as your cues.

Reduce the sauce

Thickening: allow the liquid to simmer until it has reduced and clings more readily to a spoon. Stir occasionally and lower the heat if the sauce is reducing before the chicken is cooked.

Finishing butter: remove the chicken before adding the butter, then stir it into the hot sauce until melted. Spoon the sauce over the chicken just before serving.

Choose the chilli heat

Chilli choice: the recipe calls for 10 red chillies, but their heat can vary. For a milder result, remove some seeds before grinding; for more heat, keep them in.

Galangal and lemongrass: these give the dish its distinctive aromatic character. Keep the lemongrass stalk whole while simmering so it is easy to remove before serving.

What to serve alongside

Rice: plain steamed rice is a natural partner for the spicy sauce and makes the meal more filling. Spoon any extra sauce over the rice.

Fresh sides: serve with sliced cucumber or simply cooked vegetables for a cool, crisp contrast to the rich, spicy chicken.

Recipe notes & tips

• Cut the chicken into 12 pieces so it cooks more evenly.
• Grind the paste coarsely rather than leaving large chunks of garlic or candlenut.
• Use a pan wide enough to hold the chicken in a fairly even layer.
• Keep the simmer gentle and stir now and then to prevent the paste catching on the base.
• Remove the lemongrass stalk before serving.

Variations

• Milder chilli: remove some chilli seeds before grinding the paste.
• Extra heat: leave the chilli seeds in when making the paste.
• Boneless chicken: use boneless pieces and check them for doneness earlier.
• More aromatic: bruise the lemongrass stalk before adding it to the pan.
• Rice accompaniment: serve with steamed rice to soak up the sauce.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Large paste chunks: grind the ingredients more evenly so the sauce is not lumpy.
• Fast boiling: lower the heat to a gentle simmer so the chicken cooks steadily.
• Sauce reducing too soon: turn down the heat and keep cooking until the chicken is done.
• Butter added too early: stir it in after removing the chicken, as directed, for a fresh buttery finish.
• Serving with the lemongrass: take out the stalk before plating.

How to store

Refrigerate leftover chicken and sauce in a covered container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a pan until piping hot, adding a splash of water if the sauce has become too thick.

Frequently asked questions