Chicken Braised in Coconut Milk and Spices

Name: Chicken Braised in Coconut Milk and Spices (Opor Ayam Putih)
Yield: Makes 4–6 servings as part of a multicourse meal
Cuisine: Indonesian
Ingredients: 5 candlenuts or unsalted macadamias; 5 candlenuts or unsalted macadamias; 8 Asian shallots or 4 European shallots, chopped; 8 Asian shallots or 4 European shallots, chopped; 1 tablespoon coriander seeds or ground coriander; 1 tablespoon coriander seeds or ground coriander; 1 teaspoon ground white or black pepper; 1 teaspoon ground white or black pepper; 4 cloves garlic, smashed; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 3 salam leaves or makrut lime leaves; 3 salam leaves or makrut lime leaves; 4 tablespoons (60 ml) vegetable oil, divided; 1 (3–4 lb/1.4–1.8 kg) chicken, cut into 8 parts; 3 slices dried kencur, soaked, or ½ teaspoon ground kencur (optional); 3 slices dried kencur, soaked, or ½ teaspoon ground kencur (optional); 1 stalk lemongrass, trimmed and bruised; 2 (½-inch/12-mm) slices galangal; 1 tablespoon sugar; 1½ tablespoons fine sea salt; 2 cups (475 ml) unsweetened coconut milk, divided; 2 cups (475 ml) water; Fried shallots for serving

Opor Ayam Putih

Preparation info

Makes
4–6
servings as part of a multicourse meal

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Mortar and Pestle

By Patricia Tanumihardja

Published 2024

About

There are two kinds of opor—a white version called opor putih and its yellow counterpart, opor kuning (made with turmeric). Both are popular dishes served during special celebrations like Lebaran (Eid al-Fitr) and selamatan. Julia has always made opor putih and I tell people it’s just like Thai green curry.

Ingredients

Asia
Indonesia
Main course
Dinner
Gluten-free
South East Asia

Ingredients

Method