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Ayam rica-rica
Ayam rica-rica — Manado chicken in a fiery fresh-chilli paste
Rica means chilli in the Manado dialect, and North Sulawesi cooks are not shy with it. Ayam rica-rica turns up at Minahasa family parties and church gatherings, a heap of chicken pieces coated in a coarse, scarlet paste of fresh chillies, shallots and ginger, finished with tomato, spring onion and a fistful of lemon basil. It's hot, bright and fresh rather than deep and stewed, with a sticky sauce that clings to the meat. Serve it with lots of steamed rice and a cooling cucumber salad. Chef's tip: blend the paste coarse, with as little water as possible; a wet, smooth paste steams instead of frying and never gets that glossy, toasty edge.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the chicken
For the rica paste
For cooking
Method
0/8 doneStep 1: On a board kept for raw meat, toss 2 ¼ lb bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks with 1 tbsp lime juice and 1 tsp salt. Cover and leave in the fridge for 15 minutes.
15 minStep 2: Pulse 10 large red chillies, 15 bird's eye chillies, 8 shallots, 5 cloves garlic and 1 ⅝ in fresh ginger in a blender to a coarse paste, adding no more than 1 tbsp water. Wear gloves or wash your hands well afterwards.
3 minStep 3: Heat 4 tbsp vegetable oil in a wok or wide pan over a medium heat and fry the paste for 8 minutes, stirring, until it turns darker red, smells sweet and the oil shines through.
8 minStep 4: Add 2 stalks lemongrass, 5 makrut lime leaves and 1 pandan leaf and stir for 1 minute.
1 minStep 5: Add the chicken and turn it over a medium-high heat for 5 minutes until the outside is sealed and coated in paste.
5 minStep 6: Pour in 1 cup water with 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp sugar, bring to a simmer, cover and cook over a medium-low heat for 20 minutes, stirring once or twice.
20 minStep 7: Uncover and cook over a medium-high heat for 4–5 minutes, stirring, until the sauce is thick and sticky. The chicken is done when the thickest piece reads 165°F (165 °F) and the juices run clear.
5 minStep 8: Take off the heat and fold in 2 tomatoes, 3 spring onions and 1 oz lemon basil or Thai basil so they just wilt. Serve straight away with rice.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 430 kcal
- Protein
- 38 g
- Carbs
- 12 g
- Fat
- 25 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does ayam rica-rica take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 35 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of lime juice?
- Lemon juice, same amount.
- What can I use instead of shallots?
- Half an onion per 2 shallots.
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