Ayam Penyet Pedas (Indonesian Spicy Penyet Chicken)

Ayam Penyet (Penyet Chicken) is an incredibly spicy Indonesian dish that will make your tongue feel like burning... you will need to go to a special Asian grocery store to get some of the ingredients.

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 30 mins
• Total Time: 60 mins
• Calories: 558 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 ¼ cups water
• ½ teaspoon white sugar
• 4 chicken thighs
• ½ teaspoon ground coriander
• ½ tomato
• 2 teaspoons salt, divided
• 1 teaspoon shrimp paste
• 5 cloves garlic, peeled, divided
• 3 shallots, divided
• 1 ½ inch piece fresh ginger root, peeled and chopped
• 1 ½ inch piece galangal, thinly sliced
• 2 salam leaves (substitute with curry leaves)
• 3 teaspoons oil, divided, or as needed
• 11 fresh red chile pepper, finely chopped
• 4 tablespoons key lime juice, or to taste
• 1 bunch lemon basil (kemangi)

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Combine garlic, 1 shallot, ginger, galangal, coriander, and 1 1/2 teaspoon salt in a mortar and pestle; pound into a paste.

Step 2

Combine chicken with the garlic paste, water, and salam leaves in a pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes.

Step 3

Meanwhile, heat 2 teaspoons oil in a skillet. Once the chicken is fully boiled, fry the chicken in the skillet until it's golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes.

Step 4

For the sambal (chili sauce) heat 1 teaspoon oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook remaining 2 shallots, tomato, and red chiles for 2 minutes. Move to a mortar and pestle and add lime juice, shrimp paste, 1/2 teaspoon salt, sugar, and lemon basil. Pound everything into a paste.

Step 5

Place the sambal (chile sauce) at the bottom of a serving plate and place the chicken on top of the dish.