Tongseng Ayam - Javanese Sweet Soy Sauce Chicken Stew
Use kecap manis, coconut milk, cabbage, tomato, and meat (chicken, mutton, or beef) to cook this delicious Indonesian stew that is sure to become your new favorite.
- Prep time
- 15 min
- Cook time
- 25 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 3 tablespoon oil
- 700 gram (24 oz) chicken meat, cut into bite-sizes (Note 1)
- 2 lemongrass (Indonesian: sereh), bruised
- 4 kaffir lime leaves (Indonesian: daun jeruk)
- 2 Indonesian bay leaves (Indonesian: daun salam)
- 1 can (400 ml) coconut milk
- 3 cup (750 ml) chicken stock/water
- 4 tablespoon sweet soy sauce (Indonesian: kecap manis)
- 1/2 head (about 500 gram / 17 ounce) cabbage, cut into wedges
- 2 tomatoes, cut into cubes
- 100 gram shallot
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 inch ginger (Note 2)
- 1 inch galangal (Note 2)
- 2 teaspoon ground coriander (Indonesian: bubuk ketumbar)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin (Indonesian: bubuk jinten)
- 1/2 teaspoon curry powder (Indonesian: bubuk kari)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (Indonesian: bubuk pala)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon ground white/black pepper, or to taste
- 1/4 cup chopped celery leaves (optional)
- sambal rebus
- fried shallots (Indonesian: bawang goreng)
- melinjo crackers (Indonesian: emping)
Instructions
- 1
Prepare and sauté spice paste: Use a food processor, blender, or a mortar and pestle to grind shallot, garlic, coriander, cumin, curry powder, nutmeg, salt, and pepper into a smooth spice paste. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a pot over medium heat and sauté spice paste until fragrant.
- 2
Add chicken: Add bite-size chicken pieces into the pot, and stir until no longer pink.
- 3
Prepare broth: Add bruised lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, daun salam (Indonesian bay leaves), coconut milk, kecap manis (Indonesian sweet soy sauce), and water/chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and continue cooking until the chicken is tender.
- 4
Add cabbage and tomatoes: Add cabbage and most of the tomatoes. Continue cooking for about 3 minutes, or until the cabbage starts to wilt.
- 5
Garnish and serve: Turn off the heat, and garnish with reserved tomatoes and chopped celery leaves. Serve immediately with steamed white rice, sambal rebus, fried shallots, and melinjo crackers.