Ayam Penyet Recipe (Indonesian Smashed Fried Chicken)

Ayam penyet is an Indonesian dish fried chicken, lightly smashed, normaly served with rice, raw salad as a side dish, super hot sambal chilli and lime.

Ayam Penyet is popular among Singaporeans in the early 90s till now, made popular by Indonesian restaurants in Singapore namely Ayam Penyet Ria which is located in Lucky Plaza.

Recipe for Ayam Penyet

Ingredients:

• 6 pieces chicken thighs (rinse and drain well, do not throw the skin).
• Enough water to cover chicken (Wash chicken and drain well. Prick chicken all over with a fork)
• 3 lemongrass, only the white portion, crushed
• 120 g galangal, peeled and sliced
• 6 cloves garlic, pounded
• 2 cm knob tumeric, pounded
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds, pounded (Fry coriander seeds over slow fire till fragrant then grind coarsely)
• ½ tbsp cummin seeds (Jintan Manis)
• 1 thumbsize ginger, pounded
• 4 daun salam (Bay leaves)
• 4 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp salt
• Oil for deep frying

Method:

1. Combine all ingredients in pot except for chicken and oil. Mix well and taste. Add chicken with enough water to cover the chicken.
2. Place pot on stove. Cook over medium heat for 15-20 minutes until chicken cooked. Take meat out. Drain and cool it.
3. Strain the soup. Clear broth will be used for soup. Use the remaining strained cummin and coriander seeds to marinate the chicken.
4. Add a little broth to the boiled and cooled chicken. Store it in the fridge.
5. Deep-fry chicken in oil over medium heat till cooked through and lightly golden brown. Drain in a sieve lined with paper towels. Smash the chicken thigh with a wooden mallet.

To serve:

1. Spoon a bowl of Jasmine or Chicken rice on a plate. Garnish the rice with spring onions or coriander. Place one chicken thigh, 2 slices fried tempeh, 2 slices fried beancurd, some salad and sliced cucumber onto the plate and drizzle some kalamansi juices over them.
2. Spoon sambal assam onto the side of plate.
3. Fill a small bowl with the chicken soup.
4. Serve hot.