Ayam Bakar Jawa Barat - fried chicken with sambal

Ingredients

• 1/2chicken
• 1/2 tspsalt
• 2 tbspkecap manis
• 1/2lime, juiced
• 2shallots
• 3 clovesgarlic
• 1tomato
• 2 cmgalangal
• 3shallots
• 3 clovesgarlic
• 2kemiri nuts, toasted
• 6red lomboks (red chillies)
• 50 mlchicken cooking liquid

Instructions

1. 1

   Cut the chicken

   Cut the half chicken into 4 pieces.

2. 2

   Chop the aromatics

   Finely chop the 2 shallots, 3 garlic cloves, tomato and 2 cm galangal for the bumbu.

3. 3

   Season the chicken

   Mix the chopped bumbu with the chicken, juice of 1/2 lime, 1/2 tsp salt and 2 tbsp kecap manis. Knead the mixture into the chicken until evenly coated.

4. 4

   Cook until tender

   Put the chicken and all the seasoning mixture in a pan. Cook over low heat until the chicken is done.

5. 5

   Grill until browned

   Roast the cooked chicken over a charcoal fire until browned.

6. 6

   Make the sambal

   Pound or grind the 3 shallots, 3 garlic cloves, 2 toasted kemiri nuts and 6 red lomboks into a fine paste. Stir in 50 ml chicken cooking liquid and serve with the chicken. Alternatively, fry the paste before adding the liquid.

What is ayam bakar Jawa Barat?

Ayam bakar means grilled chicken, and this version is identified with West Java, Indonesia. The chicken is first cooked with a fragrant bumbu, then grilled over charcoal to give it colour and smoky notes.

Here, kecap manis brings sweetness and depth, while lime, tomato, galangal and the accompanying chilli sambal keep the flavour lively. Although the supplied title calls it fried chicken, the method cooks the chicken in a pan and then grills it rather than frying it.

Nutrition and macros by portion

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

The chicken supplies most of the protein, while kecap manis contributes carbohydrates and the kemiri nuts add fat. Serve a moderate portion with rice and plenty of vegetables to round out the plate; the supplied nutrition figures are not broken down reliably by macronutrient.

The bumbu and marinade

Bumbu: finely chop the shallots, garlic, tomato and galangal so they spread evenly over the chicken as it cooks.

Coating: kneading the chicken with the bumbu, lime juice, salt and kecap manis helps coat all four pieces. Keep the seasoning mixture with the chicken in the pan; it is part of the cooking liquid.

Cook gently before grilling

Low heat: cook the chicken with its seasoning mixture until done, as directed. A gentle simmer gives the pieces time to cook without rapidly reducing or scorching the sweet kecap manis.

Doneness: check the thickest part of a piece before moving on to the grill. The recipe does not give a cooking time, so use the chicken's doneness rather than the clock as your cue.

Get colour over charcoal

The charcoal stage comes after the chicken has cooked through in the pan. Grill it until browned, turning as needed so the outside colours evenly.

The kecap manis can darken quickly over strong heat. Keep an eye on the chicken and move it away from the hottest part of the fire if it is browning too fast.

Make the sambal to taste

The sambal is a paste of shallots, garlic, toasted kemiri nuts and red lomboks, loosened with 50 ml chicken cooking liquid. Pound or grind the ingredients finely for a more even, spoonable sauce.

The recipe also offers frying the paste before adding the liquid. This is optional; either way, serve the sambal alongside the browned chicken.

Serving ideas

Serve the chicken hot with the sambal so everyone can add as much as they like. Steamed rice makes a straightforward accompaniment and works well with the sweet-savoury cooking juices.

For a more balanced plate, add fresh vegetables or a crisp salad alongside the chicken and rice. Keep the sambal separate if diners prefer different levels of heat.

Recipe notes & tips

• Cut the chicken into four pieces of similar size so they cook at a more even rate.
• Chop the bumbu finely to help it coat the chicken thoroughly.
• Use low heat for the pan stage, as the sweet kecap manis can catch if the pan gets too hot.
• Check the thickest piece for doneness before grilling.
• Grill over charcoal only long enough to brown the already-cooked chicken.
• Add the chicken cooking liquid to the sambal gradually if you prefer a thicker paste.

Variations

• Adjust the heat: use fewer red lomboks for a milder sambal.
• Fry the sambal: briefly fry the ground paste before stirring in the chicken cooking liquid, as the recipe suggests.
• Use a grill pan: brown the cooked chicken in a hot grill pan if charcoal is unavailable.
• Serve with rice: add steamed rice to make the chicken part of a more substantial meal.
• Add fresh vegetables: serve with sliced cucumber or other crisp vegetables for contrast.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Using high heat in the pan: the kecap manis may catch before the chicken is done; keep the heat low.
• Grilling before the chicken is cooked: the outside may brown too soon; cook it through in the pan first.
• Leaving the bumbu coarse: large pieces will coat unevenly; chop it finely before mixing.
• Overlooking the charcoal: the sweet coating can darken quickly; watch the chicken closely as it browns.
• Making the sambal too thin: adding all the cooking liquid at once can loosen the paste more than wanted; stir it in gradually.

How to store

Refrigerate leftover chicken and sambal in separate airtight containers and use within 3 days. Reheat the chicken until hot throughout in a covered pan or oven; loosen the sambal with a little water if needed.

Frequently asked questions