← Nouns Cooking · Indonesian & Filipino

Ingredients

• 1.2 kg bone-in chicken legs and thighs, cut into 8–10 pieces
• 1 Lime, juiced
• ½ tsp ground turmeric, for rubbing
• 100 g Shallot, peeled
• 4 cloves Garlic
• 8 Red chilli, seeded if you like it milder
• 3 cm piece Ginger, peeled and sliced
• 3 cm piece Galangal, sliced
• 1 tsp Ground turmeric
• 1 tsp Ground coriander
• 3 tbsp Vegetable oil
• 2 Lemongrass, bruised and knotted
• 5 Makrut (kaffir) lime leaves, torn
• 400 ml Coconut milk
• 300 ml Water
• 1 tbsp tamarind pulp, soaked in 4 tbsp hot water and strained
• 2 tsp Palm sugar
• 1 tsp salt, plus a pinch for rubbing

Method

1. Rub the chicken with the lime juice, ½ tsp turmeric and a pinch of salt and set aside while you make the paste.
2. Blend the shallots, garlic, chillies, ginger, galangal, turmeric and coriander with a splash of water into a smooth paste.
3. Heat the oil in a wide, heavy pan over medium heat. Fry the paste with the lemongrass and lime leaves for 5–6 min, stirring, until it smells sweet and the oil starts to separate.
4. Add the chicken and turn it in the paste for 3 min. Pour in the coconut milk, water and tamarind liquid, add the palm sugar and salt and bring to a gentle boil.
5. Simmer uncovered for 45 min, stirring every so often, until the chicken is tender and the sauce has reduced by about half.
6. Keep cooking for 10–15 min more, stirring often and scraping the base, until the sauce is thick, dark brown and coats the chicken, and the thickest piece reaches 75°C (165°F). Taste for salt and serve with rice.

Tips

• Indonesian chicken rendang is often stopped while still a little saucy (kalio); cook it further for the classic dry, dark finish.
• Stir more often as the sauce thickens, because the coconut solids catch and burn quickly at the end.

Sources

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

Daily Cooking Quest Cook Me Indonesian