Ayam penyet means "smashed chicken" in Indonesian, and once you've tried it you'll understand why the smashing matters. The chicken is first simmered in a fragrant blend of turmeric, garlic and galangal until tender, then deep-fried until the skin turns deliciously crisp. Giving it a gentle bash with the back of a pestle isn't just for show either, it opens up the meat so it soaks up every last drop of the sambal that goes on top.
This is proper Indonesian warung food, the sort of thing you'd order at a roadside eatery in Java with a mountain of steamed rice, cool cucumber and a scoop of stir-fried greens on the side. The sambal is the real star here, a punchy mix of chillies, shallots, garlic and a whisper of shrimp paste that gets pounded together until it's rustic and full of texture.
Don't be put off by the chilli count, you're in charge of the heat, so scale it back if you like and let the other flavours shine through. Once you've made your own sambal from scratch you'll find it hard to go back to anything from a jar.
