Ayam Penyet
Ayam penyet emerged in Surabaya, East Java, in the 1990s, as a street-food innovation combining traditional chicken-frying techniques with the Javanese habit of smashing fried food to tenderize it and let it soak up sauces better. The practice of lightly smashing the main dish with a stone or wooden pestle also applies to other dishes, like lele penyet (smashed fried catfish), but ayam penyet became the most popular and exported example. From Surabaya, the dish spread quickly across Indonesia and into Indonesian communities in Malaysia and Singapore, becoming one of the most common offerings at warung ayam penyet restaurant chains. Sambal freshly pounded for each order, not prepared in advance, is considered essential to authenticity — the coarse texture and bright acidity of fresh tomatoes make the difference from industrial sauces.
Boiled then fried chicken
Chicken pieces are first boiled in spiced broth, then fried until crisp.
Smashed with a pestle
The name "penyet" means "smashed" — the fried chicken is lightly pounded with a wooden pestle to tenderize it.
Fresh sambal
A spicy, freshly pounded sambal of chilies and tomatoes is poured directly over the smashed chicken.
Cooling side
Served with sliced cucumber, cabbage leaves and white rice, for balance.
Ingredients 4 servings
- 4 chicken pieces (thighs or breast)
- 1 liter water
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2cm turmeric
- 2cm galangal
- 2 Indonesian bay leaves
- 1 lemongrass stalk, bruised
- Salt to taste
- Oil for frying
- 8 small red chilies (for sambal)
- 4 cherry tomatoes
- 2 garlic cloves (for sambal)
- 2 shallots
- 1 tsp shrimp paste (optional)
- 1 tsp sugar
- Sliced cucumber, for serving
- Cabbage leaves, for serving
- Hot white rice, for serving
How to make it
- 1POACH THE CHICKEN: Place the chicken pieces in a pot with water, garlic, turmeric, galangal, bay leaves and lemongrass.
- 2SIMMER: Let the chicken simmer over low heat 25-30 minutes, until well cooked and the broth is fragrant.
- 3REMOVE AND DRAIN: Remove the chicken pieces and let them drain and cool slightly.
- 4HEAT THE OIL: Heat plenty of oil in a deep pan over medium-high heat.
- 5FRY THE CHICKEN: Fry the chicken pieces 5-7 minutes per side, until golden and crispy.
- 6MAKE THE SAMBAL: Quickly fry the chilies, tomatoes, garlic and shallots in a little oil, then pound them together with the shrimp paste and sugar in a mortar, until you get a coarse paste.
- 7SMASH THE CHICKEN: Place each fried chicken piece on a plate and lightly smash it with a wooden pestle or the back of a spoon, to tenderize it.
- 8ADD SAMBAL: Pour the fresh sambal directly over the smashed chicken.
- 9SERVE: Serve immediately, with sliced cucumber, fresh cabbage leaves and hot white rice.
Nutritional info
per serving (~350 g)
Estimated nutritional values.
Pairs perfectly with
