Ayam Kleo Recipe

(Chicken in Rich Spicy Gravy – Nyonya Recipe)

Ingredients:

1.5kg chicken, cut into 4 pieces

650g grated coconut with 450ml water,

squeezed and strained

Ingredients A:

6 dried chilies

2 red chilies

1 stalk lemon grass, thinly sliced

(use only the white tender part)

6 candlenuts

1 thumb-sized piece ginger

¼ thumb-sized piece turmeric

3 cloves garlic

15 shallots

Ingredients B:

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons water

Ingredients C:

1 teaspoon salt

1 slice dried tamarind

5 lime leaves

2 stalks lemon grass, lightly bashed

Method:

Grind ingredients A to a fine paste. Marinate the chicken in ingredients B and 2 tablespoonfuls of the paste for ½ hour. Set grill to hot. Grill the marinated chicken until brown on both sides (10 minutes for each side). Mix the rest of the paste with the coconut milk and ingredients C, in a saucepan. Put in the chicken and mix well. Cook over a moderate heat for 15 minutes. Reduce heat and let chicken simmer until tender. Cook until the gravy is thick and oil comes up to the surface.