Chicken Simmered in Mild Coconut Gravy

Name: Chicken Simmered in Mild Coconut Gravy (Opor Ayam)
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: Serves 4 to 6
Cuisine: Indonesian
Ingredients: 2 salam leaves; 3 cups (750 ml) thin coconut milk; 1 in (2½ cm) fresh galangal, peeled and sliced; 5 candlenuts, roughly chopped; ½ tablespoon shaved palm sugar or dark brown sugar; ½ teaspoon salt; ½ cup (125 ml) thick coconut milk; 1 teaspoon ground white pepper; 3 cloves garlic, peeled; 2 tablespoons coriander seeds or 1 tablespoon ground coriander; 3 shallots, peeled; 1 fresh chicken (2 lbs/1 kg), cleaned and cut into serving pieces; 1 stalk lemongrass, thick bottom third only, outer layers discarded, inner part bruised

Opor Ayam

Preparation info

Serves
4 to 6

Difficulty
Easy
Ready in
55 min

Appears in

The Food of Indonesia

By Heinz Von Holzen

Published 2015

About

A mild dish without chilies but redolent of coriander, lemongrass, salam leaves and galangal, Opor Ayam is a universal favorite in Indonesia.

Ingredients

3 cups (750 ml) thin coconut milk
1 fresh chicken (2

Asia
Indonesia
Main course
Gluten-free
South East Asia

Method

Make the Spice Paste by grinding all the ingredients to a smooth paste in a mortar or blender, adding a little coconut milk if necessary to keep the mixture turning.
Bring the thin coconut milk and Spice Paste to a boil over high heat in a wok or large saucepan. Add the chicken pieces, lemongrass, salam leaves and salt, mix well and bring to a boil again