Ayam Goreng Kuning
(ah-yahm go-reng koo-ning)
The Secret Weapon: Bumbu Dasar (The Mother Pastes)
Scrape the bumbu kuning from the blender bowl and drop the chicken thighs straight into a heavy Dutch oven. You're going to braise chicken in a violently aromatic, turmeric-heavy mother paste and coconut water for twenty minutes, simmering until the turmeric stains the meat straight to the bone. True Indonesian fried chicken is built on the ungkep. The hot oil at the end is just a quick, blistering finish to crisp the spiced fat. It leaves you with the earthy bite of turmeric, the residual sweetness of coconut water, and the crackle of spiced fat. Keep a splatter screen nearby, and don't crowd the pan.
Before you start
Toasting the turmeric neutralizes bitter alkaloids.
If using fresh turmeric root, give the skin a quick char over an open flame before peeling and chopping to bring out its earthy sweetness.
Ingredients
- chicken thighs and drumsticks3 lb
- unsweetened unflavored coconut water2 cup
- neutral oil2 cup
- kosher salt1 1/2 tsp
- western shallots7 med
- garlic cloves5 med
- raw macadamia nuts5 med
- whole coriander seeds1 tbsp
- fresh turmeric root1 small
- fresh galangal1 small
- fresh ginger1 small
- ground white pepper1/2 tsp
- fresh lemongrass stalks2 large
- makrut lime leaves4 large
- daun salam or fresh indian curry leaves3 large
Method
- 01
Pulse the aromatics into a devastatingly smooth mother paste.
Place the shallots, garlic, macadamia nuts, coriander, turmeric, galangal, ginger, and white pepper in a food processor or mortar and pestle, processing until perfectly fine. If it sticks, add a splash of the coconut water to get things moving.
- 02
Sauté the paste to wake up the aromatics.
Heat two tablespoons of oil in a wide, heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add your yellow paste, the smashed lemongrass, lime leaves, and daun salam (or curry leaves), cooking constantly for about 5 minutes until the raw allium smell burns off and the oil starts to separate.
- 03
Coat the chicken in the golden paste.
Toss the chicken pieces into the pot, stirring well to coat them in the hot bumbu until the exterior of the meat stiffens and changes color.
- 04
Execute the ungkep by braising the chicken in coconut water.
Pour in the rest of the coconut water and the salt, bringing the liquid to a gentle boil before reducing the heat to medium-low. Simmer uncovered for 30 to 45 minutes, turning occasionally, until the liquid almost entirely evaporates and leaves a thick, highly concentrated glaze clinging to the meat.
- 05
Cool and dry the chicken completely on a wire rack.
Pull the pot off the heat and move the chicken to a wire rack. Let it cool completely—this dries out the exterior so it blisters violently in the fryer without shedding its spices. (You can also stash this in the fridge for up to three days at this point for an easy weeknight meal.)
- 06
Flash-fry the chicken in hot oil purely for texture.
Heat an inch and a half of neutral oil in a heavy skillet to 375°F. Working in batches, fry the chicken for 2 to 4 minutes per side until deeply golden and crusty, pulling it before the coconut sugars and turmeric burn. Serve immediately with hot rice and a punishing sambal.
Notes
Never substitute European bay leaves for daun salam.
Standard supermarket bay leaves are from the laurel family and taste like eucalyptus, which will completely overpower this dish. If you can't find daun salam, Indian curry leaves provide the correct earthy, citrusy background.
Macadamia nuts are the ultimate diaspora hack for candlenuts.
They share the identical creamy, fatty profile needed to bind the mother paste perfectly, bypassing the toxicity and sourcing issues of raw kemiri.