Ayam Cincalok (Chicken with Fermented Shrimps)
Quick and easy ayam cincalok recipe, perfect on its own with rice, or as part of a meal. Korean saeu-jeot can be used instead of cincalok.
- Prep time
- 10 min
- Cook time
- 17 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1 medium onion ((about 120 g pre peeled weight))
- 2 medium cloves garlic
- 2 red chillies
- 1 stalk lemongrass
- 1 stalk spring onion ((cilantro))
- 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 500 g skinless chicken thighs ((chicken breasts will work too))
- 2 Tbsp cincalok
- 60 ml water
- ½ tsp white sugar
- 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice ((half a regular lime))
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- 1
Quarter the onion, and place in the chopper. Peel and drop the garlic in. Chop the chillies up in two and add to the chopper.
- 2
Top and tail both lemongrass stalks. Slice on into rings and add to the chopper. Bruise the other one. (Using the back of a knife, pound down hard on the base of the lemongrass).You can read more about how to use lemongrass here.
- 3
Chop everything up into a semi coarse state.
- 4
Slice the spring onions into short lengths (see image) and set aside for garnishing when the chicken is cooked.
- 5
Chop up the chicken thighs into large bite-sized pieces (about 5cm/2in wide).
- 6
Heat the oil in a wok or deep frying pan, over medium heat. Fry the chopped ingredients up (onions, garlic, chillies and lemongrass) for 1 minute. The chillies might make you cough, so turn the extractor hob on high.
- 7
Add the cincalok, stir well, then add the chicken thighs. Fry for 1 minute, stirring frequently, to allow the chicken meat to absorb the flavours.
- 8
Pour in the water alongside the pan, not over the chicken, and stir well. Add the sugar, stir, and leave to cook, uncovered, for 15 minutes, until the chicken is done.
- 9
Stir in the lime juice and finish off with some freshly ground black pepper. Take it off the heat, scatter the spring onions all over and serve immediately.Can be made a day early and stored in the fridge. Reheat gently the next day before serving.