Ayam goreng is the generic term for fried chicken in Indonesia and Malaysia. Every region has its version. Recipes vary from the list of spices and seasonings for the marinade to the cooking procedure. Some require marinating the chicken, steaming it then dropping the already-cooked bird in hot oil to brown the surface. Others call for simmering the chicken in the marinade until the flavors have been absorbed and then moving it to the frying pan.

One thing remains the same though -- ayam goreng is always spicy. In other words, it isn't really the cooking procedure that makes fried chicken ayam goreng. Rather, it is the spices and seasonings used to flavor the chicken.

I've tried the marinate-steam-fry process for cooking fried chicken. While I admit that the result is fantastic, the procedure is much too laborious for me. I've tried the simmer-and-fry version too but it's really difficult to move the hot chicken into the frying pan without the meat falling off the bones. In both the steam and simmer before cooking procedures, it is best to cool the chicken before frying. 

I prefer the cook-once-and-its-done procedure which entails less waiting time and less work but without sacrificing flavor and texture.

This is the floured version, ayam goreng tepung, similar to Southern-style fried chicken (think KFC but spicier) which falls under the cook-once-and-its-done category. The chicken is seasoned minimally, floured, fried then tossed with spice paste just before serving. The flour coating helps the spice paste stick to the chicken.

See Also

The ultimate fried chicken, part 1: season ahead or just before cooking?

The ultimate fried chicken, part 2: the frying part

The ultimate fried chicken, part 3: the breading and the glaze

Ingredients

• 6 chicken legs (skin on), about 2 and 1/2 pounds, cut into drumsticks and thighs
• 1 tablespoon rock salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/3 cup coconut milk
• 4 shallots, peeled
• 4 cloves of garlic, peeled
• a one-inch knob of ginger, peeled
• a half-inch knob of turmeric, peeled
• 4 bird's eye chilies
• 4 candlenuts (or substitute macadamia, if unavailable)
• 1 tablespoon tamarind paste
• 1 tablespoon grated palm sugar
• fish sauce, to taste
• enough coconut oil for deep frying
• 1/3 cup corn starch or potato starch

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes

• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: Serves 2 to 3

Preparation

1. Pat the chicken pieces dry with a kitchen towel and place in a large bowl. Add the salt, ginger powder, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder and coconut milk. Mix to coat all chicken pieces evenly with the seasonings. Cover the bowl and keep in the fridge for at least an hour.
2. Make the spice paste by grinding together the shallots, garlic, ginger, turmeric, chilies, candlenuts, tamarind paste and palm sugar. A mortar and pestle is traditional; a blender or a food processor is more convenient. When the paste is ready, season with enough fish sauce to balance the flavors.

1. Start heating the cooking oil. 
2. Take the chicken out of the fridge and drain well. Place in a resealable bag, add the starch, zip the bag close and shake to coat each chicken piece evenly with starch.
3. Fry the chicken, in batches if your frying pan is not very large, until golden on the outside and cooked through inside. It should take about ten minutes per batch.
4. Pour off the oil from the frying pan leaving only about tablespoonful. Set the stove to medium and add the spice paste to the pan. Cook the spice paste just until the solids start to separate from the oil. Turn off the heat. Add the cooked chicken and toss until coated with the spice paste. 
5. Serve at once with hot rice.