Spicy Clay Pot Chicken (Ayam Golek) Recipes

Ingredients :

1 x 1.5kg chicken

3 tsp freshly grated coconut

2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 shallots, or 1 small onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 piece lemon grass, 5cm long

1 piece galingal or fresh ginger, 2.5cm long, peeled and thinly sliced

2 small green chilies, seeded and finely chopped

1 piece shrimp paste, 12mm square, or 1 tbsp fish sauce

400g canned coconut milk

300ml chicken stock

2 lime leaves - optional

1 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp rice or white wine vinegar

2 ripe tomatoes, to garnish

2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves, to garnish

boiled rice, to serve

Method :

To joint the chicken, remove the legs and wings with a chopping knife. Skin the pieces and divide the drumsticks form the thighs and using a pair of kitchen scissors, remove the lower part of the chicken leaving the breast piece. Remove as many of the bones as you can, to make the dish easier to eat. Cut the breast piece into 4 and set aside. Dry fry the coconut in a large wok until evenly brown. Add the vegetable oil, shallots or onion, garlic, lemon grass, galingal or ginger, chilies and shrimp paste or fish sauce. Fry briefly to release the flavors. Preheat the oven to 350F, Gas 4. Add the chicken joints to the wok and brown evenly with the spices for 2-3 minutes. Strain the coconut milk, and add the thin part with the chicken stock, lime leaves if using, sugar and vinegar. Transfer to a glazed clay pot, cover and bake for 50-55 minutes or until the chicken is tender. Stir in the thick part of the coconut milk and return to the oven for 5-10 minutes to simmer and thicken. Place the tomatoes in a bowl and cover with boiling water to loosen and remove the skins. Halve the tomatoes, remove the seeds and cut into large dice. Add the tomatoes to the finished dish, scatter with the chopped coriander and serve with a bowl of rice.

Clay pot cooking stems form the practice of buying a glazed pot in the embers of an open fire. The gentle heat surrounds the base and keeps the liquid inside at a slow simmer, similar to the modern day casserole.

Serves 4 - 6

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