Nasi goreng ayam is a traditional fried rice dish that's also popular in Singapore, Brunei, and Malaysia. Although there are many versions of this nasi goreng variety, it is usually made with a combination of chicken thighs, oil, salt, white pepper, shallots, rice, turmeric, soy sauce, fish sauce, galangal, ginger, garlic, scallions, kecap manis, and hot peppers.
Most of the ingredients are fried with rice, and the dish is then topped with fried eggs, fried shallots, and sliced chili peppers. It's recommended to serve nasi goreng ayam with prawn crackers on the side.
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Sate Ponorogo is a traditional type of satay originating from Ponorogo in East Java. This type of satay is made with chicken that's marinated in a combination of shallots, garlic, candlenuts, coriander, turmeric, cumin, galangal, salt, and palm sugar.
The chicken is then cut into pieces and threaded onto bamboo skewers before it's coated with a mixture of kecap manis (sweet soy sauce), shallots, brown sugar, and oil. The skewers are grilled on both sides until the chicken is fully cooked and tender.
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In its basic form, Indonesian-style fried chicken consists of chicken cuts, preferably bone-in pieces such as thighs and drumsticks, which are marinated in spices, then shortly braised before being fried until golden and crispy. The marinade is typically based on traditional spices such as lemongrass, galangal, turmeric, and tamarind, but since the dish is enjoyed throughout the country, it comes in numerous regional variations that may include other spices and marinades, or various additions such as grated coconut or rice flour crumbs.
All varieties of ayam goreng can be enjoyed as individual dishes, usually accompanied by rice and fresh vegetables or salads, but ayam goreng is also a common side dish at Indonesian banquet-style meals.
MOST ICONIC Ayam goreng
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Ayam bakar is a traditional chicken dish originating from Indonesia, but it’s also popular in Malaysia. In order to prepare charcoal-grilled chicken, the meat is first simmered in a pot with bumbu or rempah spices, and the sauce is then reduced to a paste that’s applied to the chicken pieces before grilling.
The meat is grilled until the skin develops a dark or black color and becomes caramelized, but not burnt. Once done, the chicken is served with steamed white rice, sambal terasi, tomato and cucumber slices, and a bit of kecap manis (Indonesian sweet soy sauce), which has already been used during the marinating process.
This Indonesian dish consists of pieces of fried chicken that are served coated in sambal, a popular chili paste. The word penyet from the name of this dish means to press or push, referring to the preparation method in which the chicken is pressed by a pestle in order to make the meat more tender.
Some versions tenderize the chicken after frying, at the same time coating it with sambal. The dish is served with extra sambal on the side, usually accompanied by fresh vegetables, tempeh, tofu, and rice. Although it hails from East Java, ayam penyet is found throughout the country and is also popular in Singapore.
MOST ICONIC Ayam penyet
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Gulai ayam is a chicken-based version of gulai—traditional Indonesian curry-like dish. It consists of chicken cuts that are slowly simmered in a complex, spicy sauce which is based on coconut milk and various spices that typically include chilis, turmeric, coriander, cumin, and nutmeg, as well as shallots, garlic, and candlenuts.
It is believed that the dish first appeared in Padang, West Sumatra, but it is now enjoyed throughout the country. Gulai ayam is usually served with steamed rice on the side.
MOST ICONIC Gulai ayam
Indonesian chicken stew is based on an aromatic combination of coconut milk and numerous spices such as lemongrass, tamarind, cinnamon, galangal, palm sugar, coriander, garlic, and shallots. The dish is typically prepared with bone-in pieces such as thighs or drumsticks, or sometimes even a whole chicken that is cut into pieces.
The dish is usually associated with Java and it belongs to a wider group of opor dishes that employ the coconut milk braising technique. Opor ayam is typically enjoyed at Eid al-Fitrat – a religious festival that celebrates the end of Ramadan.
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Ayam geprek is a traditional chicken dish originating from Yogyakarta in Java. The dish is similar to American fried chicken, and it's usually made with a combination of chicken, eggs, flour, paprika, salt, pepper, oil, and sambal. The chicken is sliced, seasoned with salt and pepper, dredged in flour, dipped in beaten eggs, and fried in oil until golden and crispy.
Once done, the crispy chicken is placed on top of sambal chili paste, and it's then crushed with a rolling pin or a pestle. The dish is typically served with steamed rice and vegetables on the side. There are also new variations on the dish, with added mozzarella cheese or fried cabbage.
Rendang ayam is a traditional dish and a variety of rendang prepared with chicken as the key ingredient. Other ingredients used for rendang ayam include kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, turmeric, coconut milk, sugar, salt, oil, and a spice paste consisting of ground shallots, garlic, red chili peppers, galangal, ginger, and coriander.
The chicken pieces are seasoned and sautéed with the spice paste, then cooked in coconut milk. The dish is simmered until the sauce is almost fully evaporated and sticks to the meat. Once done, rendang ayam is typically accompanied by steamed white rice on the side.
MOST ICONIC Rendang ayam
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Ayam pop is a traditional dish originating from Padang. It’s made with a combination of chicken, butter, garlic, coconut milk, and seasonings. The garlic is fried in butter, and the coconut milk, sugar, water, salt, and pepper are then added to the pot.
The chicken pieces are simmered in the liquid until the meat becomes tender. They’re then fried in oil, but not until golden brown – the meat should be light-colored and slightly white. Once done, ayam pop is often served with a combination of kecap manis, fried shallots, and chili peppers.
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