← Nouns Cooking · Indonesian & Filipino

Ingredients

• 1 kg bone-in chicken legs, thighs or drumsticks
• 1 Lime, juiced
• 12 Red chilli, roughly chopped
• 4 bird's eye chillies (optional)
• 100 g Shallot, peeled
• 6 cloves Garlic
• 5 candlenuts (or macadamias), toasted
• 1 tsp Shrimp paste (belacan), toasted
• 2 Tomato, quartered
• 3 tbsp Vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp Palm sugar
• 1½ tsp Salt
• 200 ml Coconut milk
• 200 ml Water

Method

1. Rub the chicken with the lime juice. Blend the chillies, shallots, garlic, candlenuts, shrimp paste and tomatoes into a smooth paste.
2. Heat the oil in a wide pan over medium heat and fry the paste with the palm sugar and salt for 8–10 min, stirring often, until it darkens and the oil separates. Spoon 4 tbsp into a bowl for basting.
3. Add the chicken, coconut milk and water, bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 25 min, turning the pieces halfway.
4. Uncover and simmer for 10 min more, turning, until the sauce is very thick and coats the chicken.
5. Grill over hot charcoal, on a griddle pan or under a hot grill for 8–10 min, turning and brushing with the reserved paste and pan sauce, until charred at the edges and 75°C (165°F) at the bone.
6. Serve with rice, any leftover sauce, sliced cucumber and stir-fried water spinach.

Tips

• Candlenuts are a tree nut; macadamias are the usual swap and carry the same allergy warning.
• Toast the shrimp paste wrapped in foil in a dry pan for 1–2 min per side; it smells strong but mellows in the sauce.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Daily Cooking Quest What To Cook Today