Crispy Chicken with spicy tomato relish, Ayam kremes sambal Dabu-dabu

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Indonesian fried chicken (Ayam goreng) is certainly a well known chicken dish to all Indonesians and also it phenomenal amongst Indonesia people.

The very typical crispy deep fried chicken that so tasty with the compliment of the crispy bits in it and I actually think, it is the best part comes from the chicken dish.

To have the kind of tasty Indonesian crispy deep fried chicken, it really depending on the cooking method, composition ingredients and spices used.

Most people have the thought of making Indonesian crispy deep fried chicken is a bit tedious, the chicken have to cooked in advance by slow-boil the chicken mixture with Indonesian spices until the spice paste has absorbed perfectly and I use to know this method from my mother as it being called as “Ayam Ukep”

I have my mother version of crispy deep fried chicken recipe which is completely engage several Indonesian spices, the recipe calls such galangal, candlenuts, Indonesian bay leaves, lemongrass and many more. To tell you the truth, her “Ayam ukep” marinated and process is definitely best of the best!

I did simply modified the recipe to the simplest ingredients and method as I want everyone of you could possibly make it at home and also could used the ingredients that available in your kitchen pantry. Note: If the lemongrass difficult to get, you can always skip 

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All food made from scratch, cooked with the fresh ingredients and based on the family recipes or perhaps based on your own cooking experiment is absolutely extraordinary delicious that could possibly sway your tongue to the limit.  

Crispy chicken with spicy tomato relish, 

Ayam kremes sambal Dabu-dabu

Ingredient

3 pieces chicken thigh

8 cloves garlic

2 teaspoons coriander seeds

3 stalks lemongrass

½ inch fresh turmeric root, substitute ½ teaspoon turmeric powder

3 tablespoons corn starch or tapioca flour 

Water *just enough submerge the chicken

2 teaspoons salt

1 ½ tablespoons sugar

Vegetable oil to deep frying

Preparation

Wash clean chicken thigh under cold running water through a colander, trim off the fat and score the flesh with a kitchen knife

Peel the garlic and rinse well

Rinse lemongrass and bruise with the back of the kitchen knife

Peel the turmeric with a paring knife and rinse.

In a small cup, dilute cornstarch or tapioca flour with little amount of water, keep aside

Tip: toast the coriander seeds in non stick frying pan over medium heat until aromatic in purpose to get the truest aroma of the coriander.

Direction

Using mortar and pestle (cobek), grind garlic, coriander seeds and turmeric to fine paste *You can always use food processor

Place lemongrass in the bottom of a cooking pot, place in the chicken tight, add in spice paste and top up with water *make sure the amount of water just enough submerge the chicken. 

Add in salt and sugar. Important: adjust the taste according to your liking.

Cook the chicken over medium heat about 25-30 minutes--lid on.

When the cooking process has done--the chicken should be tender and the liquids has reduced, add in cornstarch mixture *stir with a spoon before adding.

Continue to slow boil until the liquids has thickened and stir well with a wooden spoon

Off the heat and let it cooled completely.

To fry

Heat the vegetable oil in wok over medium heats.

Fry the chicken until brown at both sides or until cook through—the crispy bits will definitely created on the surface of the hot oil—stay away while the frying process runs on as the crispy bits will be splatter wildly.

Tip: 
When the crispy bits has golden brown or sets, it will be no more hot oil splatter around, which mean, this is the time you can gather the crispy bit at the side of the wok using a slotted spoon and gather them to put on top of chicken. 
Turns the chicken to fry the other side until the chicken cook through. 
Fry only one chicken thigh at once.

When the chicken perfectly fried, remove from the hot oil and drain on a plate lined with paper towel. Repeat the process until all chicken are fried.

Serve the crispy chicken with sambal dabu-dabu and steamed rice or sides
with your favorite greens/veggie 

Sambal dabu-dabu

Ingredients

3 medium sized fresh tomatoes

6 bird eye chillies

8 shallots

5 sprigs lemon basil (Daun kemangi)

Juice of one lime

Salt to taste

Preparation

Wash clean tomatoes under cold running water, stems removed and diced with a kitchen knife

Rinse bird eye chillies under cold running water, finely slice with a kitchen knife

Peel shallots, place in a colander and rinse under cold running water, diced into bit size with a kitchen knife

Rinse lemon basil under cold running water, discard the stems and roughly chop

Direction

In a mixing bowl, place diced tomatoes, slice chillies and shallots

Add in lemon juice and season with salt.

Gently fold all ingredients with a spoon.

Toss in chop lemon basil, mix thoroughly and make sure are well combine.

Transfer in serving bowl and serve. 


Note:
If Lemon Basil (Daun Kemangi) unavailable, you can always skip out. Lemon Basil is one of my Favorite Indonesian herbs, the aroma is so delicate and exotic, It makes my sambal dabu-dabu unique and special