Ayam Penyet Kremes

Method

1. Roughly chop the shallots, garlic, candlenuts and ginger and blend with the turmeric, coriander and a splash of the coconut water into a smooth paste.

   Add in this stepShallots (spice paste) 5Garlic cloves (spice paste) 4Candlenuts (kemiri; or macadamias) 2Fresh ginger 8 gGround turmeric ¾ tspGround coriander 1 tspUnsweetened coconut water 45 ml

2. Heat the oil in a 20 cm pot on medium heat and fry the paste with the bruised lemongrass, sliced galangal, lime leaves and bay leaves for 4 min, until the moisture has cooked off, the paste turns a shade darker and smells toasty instead of raw.

   Add in this stepOil (for frying the paste) 1 tbspFresh galangal 12 gLemongrass stalks 1Makrut lime leaves 3Daun salam or bay leaves 2

   medium heat

3. Add the chicken, salt, palm sugar and the rest of the coconut water. Bring to a boil on high heat, lower to medium-low heat and braise for 35 min, turning now and then, until the liquid has almost gone. Turn off the heat and leave the chicken in the pot for 15 minutes to soak up the flavour. Set it on a rack to air-dry for 15 minutes (or uncovered in the fridge overnight) and strain 2 tablespoons of the pot juices for the kremes.

   Add in this stepBone-in chicken legs (whole legs or thighs) 550 gSalt 1¼ tspPalm sugar (braise) ¾ tspUnsweetened coconut water 405 ml

   high heat→medium-low heat

4. For the sambal, heat the oil in a pan on medium heat and fry the chillies, shallots, garlic and tomato for 5 min, until charred in spots; press the shrimp paste flat in the pan for the final minute to toast it crisp. Pound everything in a mortar with the palm sugar and salt to a coarse paste and finish with lime juice.

   Add in this stepOil (sambal) 3 tbspLarge red chillies (sambal) 6Bird's eye chillies (sambal) 4Shallots (sambal) 4Garlic cloves (sambal) 2Tomato (sambal) 1Shrimp paste (terasi) 1 tspPalm sugar (sambal) 1¼ tspSalt (sambal) ½ tspLime or calamansi ½

   medium heat

5. Fill a 26 cm wok no more than half full with oil and heat on medium-high heat to 170 °C. Fry the 1 cm tempeh slices and the well-drained tofu for 5 min until golden, then lift out.

   Add in this stepNeutral oil for deep-frying 900 mlTempeh 100 gFirm tofu 100 g

   medium-high heat

6. Lower the oil to 160 °C (medium heat) and give the chicken a first fry in 1 batch for 5 min; rest it on a rack for 3 minutes. Raise the oil to 180 °C (high heat) and fry again for 2 min until the skin is glassy-crisp. Lay the dry chicken in away from you and keep a lid nearby.

   medium heat→high heat

7. Kremes: whisk the cold water, starch, baking powder, egg yolk and the strained juices into a thin batter. Keep the oil at 180 °C on high heat, then drizzle the batter in a thin stream from about 30 cm above the oil in circles, from your fingertips or a spoon, so it spreads into a lacy net. Fry in 2 batches for 1 min 30 sec until the bubbling calms and it turns golden, and lift out with a spider. It spatters hard: stand back and wear long sleeves.

   Add in this stepCold water (kremes) 120 mlTapioca starch or cornstarch 30 gBaking powder ¼ tspEgg yolk 1

   high heat

8. Set each piece of chicken on the sambal, smash it with the pestle and pile on more sambal and plenty of kremes. Serve with rice, tempeh, tofu, cucumber, cabbage and basil.

   Add in this stepCooked jasmine rice 300 gCucumber ½White cabbage 80 gLemon basil (kemangi) or Thai basil leaves 10