Recipes
Photo by WGBH
Damian D'Silva's Opor Ayam (Chicken Braised in Coconut Milk)
Episode 916-Cooking on the Fly: Authentic Singapore Cuisine
Serves 4
Ingredients
4 boneless, skin-on whole chicken legs (thigh and drumstick)
Juice of 1 lime
Juice of 1/2 orange*
2 each kencur (fragrant ginger), omit if not available
1-inch length fresh turmeric, sliced
1-inch length ginger, sliced
1 large red onion
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1-inch length lengkuas (galangal), sliced
3 buah keras (candlenuts) or macadamia nuts
1 teaspoon tamarind pulp added to 1/2 cup water (mix well then
strained and use liquid only)
2 daun salam (Indian bay leaves)
3 limau purut (Kefir lime leaves)
1 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin seeds
Palm sugar to taste
1/2 cup fresh coconut milk
12 Thai basil leaves
Salt to taste
Cooking oil for frying
Directions
1. In a non-reactive bowl, squeeze lime and orange juices over chicken. Allow to marinate for 15 minutes.
2. Using a mortar & pestle, pound fragrant ginger, turmeric, ginger, red onion, garlic, lengkuas (galangal) and buah keras (candlenuts) until smooth. Alternatively, process in a blender.
3. Heat a saucepan over medium-high heat and add enough oil to coat bottom. Fry the spice paste till fragrant and most moisture has cooked out, 10 to 15 minutes. Add chicken, skin-side down and cook for 5 t o 7 minutes, stirring. At this time, add the tamarind liquid, daun salam (Indian bay leaves), limau purut (Kefir lime leaves), white pepper, coriander, cumin and palm sugar. Stir to combine then add coconut milk, continue to cook till chicken is almost done, 15 to 20 minutes. Add Thai basil and cook another minute. Place chicken on grill over high heat, and cook just to brown the surface. Put chicken on serving plate and top with sauce.
*Calamansi, also known as acid orange, was used in this recipe. The combination of lime and orange juices is the best approximation if calamansi is not available.
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