Notes, Tips & Tricks
The characteristics of Moluccan cuisine : rich in spices, simple cooking process but it tastes good ;-).
One example is Ayam Raci Cili Padi or Spicy Chicken Stew in Moluccan Style. Cili here is meant to be a bird's eye chili which is small but taste very spicy.
So if you're keen of spicy dishes but don't like coconut milk broth, try this simple chicken dish from the Spice Islands of eastern Indonesia :-)
Ingredients
Ingredients for 3 persons:
- 600 gr/25 oz chickenwings or other part of the chicken, cut in pieces, washed
- 500 ml/16 fl.oz/2 cups cold water
- 3 kaffir lime leaves, finely sliced
- 1 stem lemon grass, outer leaves discarded, finely sliced
- 1 cm or 1 tbsp galangale, bruished
- juice of 1 lime or lemon
- 2 spring onions, in 1 cm long chopped
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt or to taste
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
Spices, roughly pounded:
- 7 shalllots, chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, chopped
- 10 small red chillies/bird chillies (add more if you're preferred)
Step-by-Step Instructions:
- 1
Prepare the spices, peel off and cut in smaller size if necessary.
- 2
Pound the spices ingredients with a mortar or a blender just shortly/roughly. Put aside.
- 3
Slice the lemon grass and kaffir lime leaves. Put aside.
- 4
Put the chicken in a wok or shallow pan. Add the pounded spices and stir to mix.
- 5
- 6
Pour in the cold water into the pan.
- 7
Add the lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal and salt. Stir well.
- 8a
Cook at high temperature until the water boils and the chicken becomes harder (it's colour turns to white).
- 8b
Reduce the heat into medium and simmer until the chicken is well cooked and the broth is almost driven off. Stir occationally. (approx. 25 minutes)
- 9
Add the spring onions, cook until just wilted.
- 10
Add the vegetable oil. Stir fry the chicken with the oil. Stir frequently to prevent burning.
- 11
Add the lime juice and stir to mix.
- 12
Adjust the seasoning. Add salt or sugar to taste if necessary. Serve hot right away.
