Rendang Ayam (Indonesian Chicken Rendang)
Chicken slow-cooked in spiced coconut milk until the sauce reduces right down, splits and caramelises into a deeply fragrant, almost dry curry.
Ingredients
Pantry bits
- 1kg chicken thighs, bone-in
- 400ml coconut milk
- 6 shallots
- 4 cloves garlic
- 3 red chillies (adjust to taste)
- 3cm ginger
- 3cm galangal
- 2 lemongrass stalks, white part only
- 2 kaffir lime leaves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 tbsp tamarind paste
- 1 tbsp palm sugar
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- Blend shallots, garlic, chillies, ginger, galangal and lemongrass into a fine paste.
- Heat oil in a heavy-based pot and fry the spice paste for 5–6 minutes until fragrant and the raw smell has gone.
- Add chicken thighs and toss to coat well in the paste.
- Pour in coconut milk, then add kaffir lime leaves, cinnamon stick, tamarind paste and palm sugar. Stir to combine.
- Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes.
- Continue simmering for a further 30–45 minutes, stirring more frequently towards the end, as the sauce reduces and the coconut oil begins to split and caramelise around the chicken.
- Keep cooking and stirring until the sauce has reduced to a thick, dark, fragrant coating clinging to the chicken — this is the rendang finish.
- Season with salt to taste and serve with steamed rice.
About this dish
If you've seen the viral clips of coconut milk being cooked down until it splits, turns golden and smells like caramel and toasted spice, you've seen the start of a rendang. It's one of the oldest tricks in Indonesian cooking, and chicken rendang is the perfect way to try it at home without the long cook time beef rendang needs.
The process is patient but simple: a fragrant spice paste is fried, coconut milk is added, and the whole pot is left to simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally as the liquid reduces. As it cooks down, the oil separates from the coconut solids and the sauce slowly caramelises around the chicken, deepening in colour and flavour with every stir.
It looks like a lot of steps written out, but it's really just 'add, simmer, stir occasionally' — the coconut milk and spice paste do all the real work.
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