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Friday, April 20, 2012

Indonesian Style Grilled Chicken (Ayam Bekakak) (Happy Call) & Stir Fry Beansprout With Silver Fish

Indonesian has many kinds of grilled chicken, some are nice, some are not so nice
It all depends on the marinade mixture, and also the cooking process
One important factor also how long the chicken is marinated

This grilled chicken can't be considered as nice, that's not exactly how it should be described, cos it tasted fabulous!
Definitely will make this again :)

I'm not sure why they named it ayam (meaning chicken) bekakak
What is bekakak? I'm not sure and I haven't asked any of my Indonesian friend so far
Maybe I should, but for now, let's just celebrate how tasty this dish is :)


What you need:

1 chicken, split the back, crushed lightly to flatten it
2 lemongrass stick, crushed lightly
2 bay leaves
2cm blue ginger, crushed lightly
1 tbsp tamarind, mixed with 2 tbsp water, mixed and discard the seeds
2 lime leaves
5 tbsp dark sweet soya sauce (kecap manis)
500ml water
3 tbsp cooking oil

Seasonings:
6 shallots
4 cloves of garlic
2cm old ginger
2cm yellow ginger
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp sugar
  1. Put all seasonings in food processor and blend til smooth
  2. Heat oil on frying pan, sautee the blended seasonings til fragrant
  3. Add in lemongrass, bay leaves, lime leaves, blue ginger and cook til fragrant
  4. Add in chicken, cook til chicken changed color
  5. Add in water, kecap manis, cook til seasonings thickened and water lessened, turn to the other side ocassionally
  6. Grill in the happy call pan over medium low heat, flip the pan til both sides golden brown
  7. Each time flipping the pan, brush more seasonings
Eat with chilli paste

To make chilli paste:
4 large red chillies, discard seeds and cut small
4 shallots, cut small
2 tsp prawn paste (belachan)
salt, sugar
  1. Put all ingredients in food processor, blend til smooth
  2. Heat a little oil on frying pan, fry the blended ingredients til boiling
  3. Off heat
Another dish which you won't be satisfied with only 1 bowl of rice! :)

And this is the companion:

What you need:

100g silver fish
4 handful of beansprout, cleaned and rinsed
5 shallots, slice thinly
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 large red chillies, discard the seeds and cut small
sugar, salt and cooking oil
  1. Wash silver fish well (to reduce the saltiness), and pat with kitchen towel
  2. Heat a little oil on frying pan, fry silver fish til crispy, golden in color, drain and set aside
  3. Using the same pan, add a little bit more oil, heat and sautee shallots and garlic til fragrant, add in chillies, and mix well
  4. Add in beansprout, mix well til well cooked, add in silver fish, mix well
  5. Add sugar and a little salt (you don't have to add salt if you feel it's salty enough with the silver fish), mix well
  6. Off heat
Simple but it made a great companion to the chicken :)

12 comments:

  1. By looking at the picture and seasoning I know is super already. Have a nice weekend!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. hi Vivian, thks :) i love this chicken so much :)
      u have a great week :)

      Delete
  2. Alice,
    Thks for sharing this recipe! I grilled this for dinner tonite. Everyone says it taste fantastic - just exactly like the ayam bakar we eat in Indonesian restaurant!

    Susanna,Perth

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. hi Susanna,
      so glad all of you like this dish, indeed this is a fabulous recipe :)
      thks for trying my recipe ya :)

      Delete
  3. Alice,

    Do you marinate the chicken first? If yes, what is the marinate sauce?Can i grilled it on the oven if i dont have happy call pan?meaning after step 5, i will put the chickenin to the oven... thanks in advance for ur reply... i would love to try ...just need to clarify the steps <3

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. hi wonaes,
      no, I didn't marinate the chicken, cos it's simmered with the seasonings to get the flavour
      yes, you can use oven, too :)

      Delete
  4. Hi Alice,

    How do you marinate the chicken? looking at step 6... If i do not own a happy call can i pu it in the oven instead... thanks for sharing

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. hi Michelle,
      no I didn't marinate the chicken, its simmered for quite awhile, to get the flavour
      yes, u can use oven, too :)

      Delete
  5. Hi Alice,

    Can we marinate the cken n grill in happy call wo cooking cken in pan? if not,how long shd we cook in pan the cken b4 grill in happy call? cken half cooked? I worri over cook cken

    Thanks
    Jenny

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. hi Jenny,
      it shouldn't be a prob to cook the chicken in the happycall pan right from the start. but before grilling, remove the chicken from the pan, clean the pan first and use it for grilling. no specific time, just watch out for the liquid. when it's lessened and thickened, you can stop cooking

      Delete
  6. Thanks Alice,

    If i.grill cken fm happy call,then what shd i use to marinate cken? Marinate cken for few hrs b4 grilling shd b sufficient?

    Thanks
    Jenny

    ReplyDelete
  7. Super yummy :) we call this recipe lechon manok here in the Philippines

    ReplyDelete