Chicken with Tomato Spices Recipe

Chicken with Tomato Spices Recipe

(Ayam Rica-Rica)

4 spring chickens, each about 750 g, quartered

1 tablespoon salt

½ tablespoon freshly crushed black pepper

2 tablespoons lime (calamansi) juice

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

500 ml chicken stock

40 g shallots, peeled and chopped

30 g garlic, peeled and chopped

160 g tomatoes, peeled, halved, seeded and diced

2 tablespoons lemon basil, sliced

4 tablespoons lime (calamansi) juice

2 tablespoons sweet soy sauce (kecap manis)

a pinch of salt or to taste

a pinch of freshly crushed black pepper or to taste

Spice paste:

100 g red chilies, halved, seeded and sliced

25 g bird's eye chilies, sliced

60 g shallots, peeled and sliced

40 g garlic, peeled and sliced

½ tablespoon dried shrimp paste (terasi), roasted

Method:

Season chicken pieces with salt, pepper and lime juice.  Refrigerate or leave in a cool place for 30 minutes.  Meanwhile, prepare spice paste.  Combine all ingredients in a stone mortar or blender (processor) and grind into a very fine paste.  Heat half the oil in a large, heavy saucepan and sauté spice paste over medium heat until fragrant.  Add chicken pieces and sauté until they are evenly coated with spice paste.  Stir in stock and bring to the boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer until chicken is tender and most of the liquid has evaporated.  Remove chicken from saucepan and keep warm, then add remaining oil to saucepan and heat.  Add all remaining ingredients and sauté for 1 minute or until they are warmed through.  Adjust seasoning to taste before serving.  Garnish, if desired, with a sprig of lemon basil.