This is a typical Indonesian dish from Manado – usually cooked in bamboo tubes. However, this is not practical at home and easier in a deep frying pan. The result is no less delicious. This is my quicker and more practical version that you can do at home.
You can cook with fresh fish too but cooking time will take less. I hope it turns out OK and that you will agree this is a very tasty dish ……
INGREDIENTS:
Whole chicken (chopped into fairly small pieces) or boneless chicken thighs
Alternatively – 1 – 2 fresh fish
TO FRY:
2 tablespoons corn or olive oil
4 shallot onions (finely sliced)
1 – 2 garlic cloves (finely grated)
1 thumb-sized fresh ginger or 2 teasp. powdered
2 – 3 fresh lemongrass stalks (chop into 3 – cm pieces)
1 – 2 small birds eye chillies (optional)
3 fresh tomatoes (each chopped into 8)
salt and black pepper to season
FOR SAUCE:
1 – 2 teaspoon Sambal Oelek
1 teaspoon tumeric
2 or 3 tablespoon white sugar (taste to test to your liking)
4 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons cornflour (dilutes in a little water)
Lime and basil leaves (6- 8 of each)
Your “Starter Chopping Board”
Finely slice / chop shallot onions, garlic cloves, ginger, lemongrass stalks and chillies (optional).
Chop up your chicken into manageable pieces and season with salt and black pepper.
Or in this case, I chose boneless chicken thighs.
Lightly fry your chicken pieces / thighs to seal the outside, on both sides – then leave them aside on a plate.
Mix in a separate bowl, lemon juice, sambal oelek, tumeric, & sugar with a couple of tablespoons of water.
Lightly fry shallot onions, garlic, fresh or powdered ginger, lemongrass and chopped chillies in a hot wok / pan for 2 – 3 minutes until aromatic
Add your pre-part fried chicken pieces to the pan.
Pour your prepared sauce over the contents of the pan. Allow to simmer for a minute or two, then turn over the chicken pieces to reveal how the sauce has turned them slightly yellow in colour.
Add the lime and basil leaves to the contents of the pan and mix well together.
Prep your tomatoes, season with salt and chopped coriander leaves. Fry until they turn soft.
Add the fried chopped tomatoes and chicken mixture contents into a baking dish. Cover the dish with a foil / lid and slowly bake in the oven for 60 minutes (for chopped pieces), or 30 minutes (for boneless chicken thighs) – alternatively for fresh fish, 20 – 25 minutes. You might need to test until the chicken / fish appears tender to the fork.
Drain the sauce from the baking dish into a pan, making sure you pick out the lemongrass stalks for disposal. Leave the chicken / fish in baking dish in the turned off oven to keep warm, while you add your cornflour mix to the heated sauce in the pan. Keep stirring until the sauce thickens. This is to add any additional sauce to your plate, if required.
Plate up – Serve with boiled new potatoes (for those that dislike rice dishes) with some krupuk (prawn crackers) and any vegetables / salad you prefer. Alternatively, serve with boiled white rice (nasi), krupuk and garnish with chopped coriander (optional). Pour your pan heated sauce over the plated contents – if required. I hope you will enjoy!
FOR MORE RECIPES please click below:
Starters, Soups & Side Dishes
Meat & Chicken Dishes
Seafood, Rice, Noodle & Vegetable Dishes
Desserts & Treats
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