Ayam Kacang Bukittingga (Peanut Chicken)
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Ayam Kacang Bukittingga is a Sumatran peanut chicken braised in coconut milk with a fragrant spice paste of red chiles, ginger, turmeric, and garlic. Rich, nutty, and deeply aromatic.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
30 minREADY
40 minFrom the highlands of Bukittinggi in West Sumatra comes this intensely aromatic peanut chicken that simmers low in coconut milk until nearly all the liquid cooks away.
A spice paste of onion, garlic, fresh ginger, red chiles, and turmeric forms the fragrant foundation.
That paste gets bloomed in coconut milk before the chicken pieces, roasted peanuts, salam leaf, and laos (galangal) join the pot.
As the sauce slowly reduces over 30 to 40 minutes, it concentrates into a thick, glossy coating that clings to every piece of chicken.
Kitchen Tips
- Baste the chicken frequently as the coconut milk reduces. This builds layers of flavor and keeps the meat from drying out on top.
- If you can’t find salam leaf (Indonesian bay leaf), a regular bay leaf will work, though the flavor profile will shift slightly.
- Laos is galangal. Look for it fresh or frozen at Asian grocery stores. Dried galangal powder is a last resort substitute.
- Let the liquid reduce until it’s almost gone. That concentrated, nutty sauce is where all the magic lives.
Ingredients
Directions
Process onion, garlic, ginger chile, pepper, turmeric, salt and ¼ cup coconut milk to a smooth paste.
Put the rest of the coconut milk in a pan with the spice paste and bring to a boil over moderate heat.
Add salam, laos, chicken and peanuts and continue to cook, uncovered, over low heat for 30 to 40 minutes, basing frequently, until almost all the liquid has evaporated.
Serve warm.
Serves 6.
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