Ayam Buah Keluak - By Fiona Lau

Ayam Buah Keluak

Ayam Buah Keluak - By Fiona Lau

Recipe adapted from Chef Philip Chia (Peranakan Heritage cooking)

Cooking Oil 5 Tbsp

Chicken 1, about 1.3kg, cut into pieces of desired size.

Pork ribs 500g, cut into pieces of desired size

Tamarind pulp 120g, mixed with 1 litre water and strained

Buah Keluak:

Buah Keluak (Indonesian Black nuts) 15-20

Minced pork 150g

Peeled small prawns (shrimps) 300g

Sesame oil 1Tbsp

Light soy sauce 1Tbsp

Sugar 2Tbsp

Rempah:

Candlenuts 6-8

Galangal 6-8 slices

Lemon Grass 2 stalks, ends trimmed, cut into short lengths

Turmeric 5-6 slices

Shallots 300g, peeled

Kaffir lime leaves 6-8

Roasted prawn (shrimp) paste (belacan) 3tsp

Dried chilli paste 2 Tbsp

1. Prepare buah keluak 3 days ahead. Wash, then soak nuts for 3 days, changing water daily. On day of cooking, crack cap of nuts using a pestle, remove the shell to make an opening then remove kernel using a teaspoon.

2. Mix together nut kernels, minced pork, prawns, sesame oil, light soy sauce and sugar. Stuff mixture back into shells. Set aside.

3. Using a mortar and pestle or blender, grind ingredients for rempah into a paste.

4. Heat oil in a pot and add rempah. Fry until fragrant.

5. Add chicken and pork ribs and stir-fry for about 3 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside.

6. Add tamarind juice and bring to boil. Lower heat and simmer     until pork ribs are tender, then return chicken to pot. Simmer for another 10 minutes, then add stuffed buah keluak.

7. Simmer for another 15 minutes until chicken stuffing are cooked. Adjust to taste with salt and sugar if necessary.

8. Dish out and serve hot with rice