Ayam Panggang Sere Tabia (Balinese Grilled lemongrass Chicken )

Whenever we go to Bali, we always stay at my brother house. It has a very big garden, full of spice plants. And her mother-in-law, who happens to be the cousin of my mother, and live with brother and his family, would cook us some spicy Balinese food. What I adore is that she just picks the spices to cook, from her garden. I remember the kecombrang plant (Etlingera elatior) on the riverside, kaffir lime tree and the lemongrass grow in their big garden, alongside the orchids and coconut trees. Bali is really a paradise. 
 

It was not before the year 2000's that Balinese food becomes famous among the Indonesian itself. Before that, hardly anybody knows about the variety of the food come from Bali, neither about their authenticity. Many local (and international) tourists go to Bali and got served "fake" balinese food in the restaurants, or food from other regions of Indonesia that claimed to be Balinese, which is actually not. And even today not so many Indonesians know that Balinese dishes are very very spicy. We always think that the dishes from Sumatera and Sulawesi which use many chilies exclusively. . And their local chili (tabia), is quite different from the common chili that the rest of the islands use... For me, it has a distinct bitter sweet note inside, and has a fort degree of hotness in your mouth.

On the last post, I told you about the primarasa recipe books that my friend brought me from Indonesia. She gave me this Bali and Nusa Tenggara book as well. And I am so glad that I found the Lemongrass chicken recipe inside, which my aunty serve very often on her table during our stay in Bali. As usual, I made modification from the original recipe. And thanks to the kaffir limes, the taste is very very Bali original. 

I just hope that time flies quickly, so April would come in no time. I miss Indonesia and Bali a lot. I just can't wait to eat sambal kecombrang again..... 

Ingredients:

• 4 chicken thigh, wash , and take out greasy part
• juice of 2 kaffir limes,
• 1 tsb of oil

Ground spices:

• 5 shallots
• 2 garlics
• 3 candle nuts (omit if you have difficulties finding it)
• 1 tsp shrimp paste
• chilies (according to your taste – i'd put a lot to meet the standard of balinese people, hehe)
• 1 tsp of kencur (kaemferia galanga) powder
• 2 tsp of curcurma powder
• 1 tsp of salt
• 3 cm of galanga
• 1 tsp of sugar
• 2 lemongrass, peel the outer part, and use the white bottom part
• 4 kaffir lime leaves, take out the middle part (the midrib).

Directions:

1. Mix all the ingredients (except chicken).
2. Marinate the chicken during 48 hours with the ingredients
3. Heat your oven for 210 degree and grill for 30 minutes or less
4. Serve as rice companion.