Ayam bakar is Indonesian grilled chicken at its finest — pieces simmered first in a fragrant spiced coconut braise, then finished over the grill with lashings of kecap manis until sticky, smoky and charred at the edges.
That two-step method is the secret. The gentle simmer means the chicken is juicy and flavoured right to the bone, so the grilling stage is purely about colour and caramelisation. No dry chicken, no raw middles.
It works beautifully on a barbecue but a grill pan or the oven grill does the job just as well. Serve it with rice, cucumber and a spoonful of sambal for a proper Indonesian feast.
