Ayam Taliwang (Spicy Grilled Chicken)

Ingredients

• 1 whole young chicken (approx. 800g - 1kg), split open butterfly-style and flattened
• 200 ml thin coconut milk
• 100 ml thick coconut milk
• 2 tbsp tamarind juice (from 1 tbsp tamarind pulp dissolved in 3 tbsp hot water, strained)
• 1 tsp palm sugar, grated
• 1 tsp salt, or to taste
• 2 tbsp cooking oil

Fine Spice Paste (Bumbu Halus)

• 10-12 shallots
• 5 cloves garlic
• 10-15 large red chilies (adjust to preferred spiciness)
• 5-10 bird's eye chilies (adjust to preferred spiciness)
• 2 cm kencur (aromatic ginger)
• 1 cm roasted shrimp paste (terasi), crumbled
• 3 candlenuts, toasted
• 1 medium tomato, roughly chopped (optional, for richer color/flavor)

Instructions

1. Rinse the chicken and pat dry. Make several shallow cuts on the chicken's surface to help absorb the marinade.
2. Prepare the Fine Spice Paste: Blend all ingredients for the Fine Spice Paste in a food processor or grind with a mortar and pestle until smooth. Add a little oil if blending to help the process.
3. Heat 2 tbsp cooking oil in a large pan or wok over medium heat. Sauté the Fine Spice Paste until fragrant and the oil separates (meaning it's well-cooked), about 8-10 minutes.
4. Add the chicken to the pan, ensuring it's thoroughly coated with the spice paste. Cook for a few minutes until the chicken changes color slightly.
5. Pour in the thin coconut milk, tamarind juice, palm sugar, and salt. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
6. Cover the pan and cook over medium-low heat for about 20-30 minutes, turning the chicken occasionally, until the chicken is tender and the sauce has significantly reduced and thickened.
7. Remove the chicken from the pan. Reserve the remaining thickened sauce.
8. Prepare for grilling: You can grill over charcoal, use a grill pan on the stove, or broil/roast in an oven.
9. Grill the chicken over medium heat, basting frequently with the reserved thickened sauce, until the chicken is nicely charred and caramelized on both sides. This usually takes 10-15 minutes, depending on your grilling method.
10. Serve immediately with steamed rice and fresh vegetables.