Ayam Penyet

Ingredients

Chicken thighs

4, bone-in and skin-on

Lime

1, juiced

Turmeric powder

1 teaspoon

Salt

1 teaspoon, plus extra for sambal sauce

Vegetable oil

enough for deep frying, plus 2 tablespoons for sambal sauce

Garlic

4 cloves

Candlenuts

4

Shallots

4, peeled and roughly chopped

Red chili peppers

4, deseeded and roughly chopped

Tomato

1, diced

Sugar

1 teaspoon

Instructions

1. In a bowl, combine chicken thighs with lime juice, turmeric powder, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Marinate for at least 30 minutes.
2. Heat a generous amount of vegetable oil in a deep frying pan or wok over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, fry the marinated chicken until golden brown and cooked through, approximately 7-10 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels to remove excess oil.
3. While the chicken is frying, prepare the sambal sauce. In a mortar and pestle, grind the garlic and candlenuts into a paste.
4. In a separate pan, heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and red chili peppers, sautéing until they start to soften. Add the garlic-candlenut paste and continue to stir-fry until fragrant.
5. Add the diced tomato, sugar, and a pinch of salt to the pan. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, until the tomato breaks down and the sauce thickens.
6. Serve the fried chicken with the spicy sambal sauce on the side. For a complete meal, pair it with steamed rice and a refreshing cucumber salad.