Nasi Padang with Ayam Pop and Sambal Hijau

Ingredients

• 4 bone-in chicken thighs or 8 drumsticks
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1-inch piece ginger, crushed
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cups water
• Salt, to taste
• Oil, for shallow-frying
• 6 large green chilies
• 4 green bird's-eye chilies (adjust to taste)
• 4 shallots
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tomato, green if possible
• 1 teaspoon shrimp paste (terasi)
• 1 tablespoon oil (for sambal)
• Salt and sugar, to taste
• 4 cups steamed white rice, to serve

Before you cook

• Rub the chicken with the lime juice and a pinch of salt and let it sit for 10 minutes.
• Roughly chop the green chilies, bird's-eye chilies, shallots, garlic and tomato for the sambal.

Steps

1. Put the chicken, crushed garlic, crushed ginger, bay leaf and water in a pot and bring to a simmer.
2. Poach the chicken gently for 20 minutes until cooked through, then lift it out and let it cool slightly.
3. Heat a wide pan of oil over medium-high heat for shallow-frying.
4. Fry the poached chicken pieces for 3 minutes per side until the skin is golden and a little crisp, then drain on paper towels.
5. Steam or boil the green chilies, bird's-eye chilies, shallots, garlic, tomato and shrimp paste together for 5 minutes until softened.
6. Pound or blend the steamed mixture coarsely, keeping some texture rather than a smooth paste.
7. Heat the tablespoon of oil in a small pan and tip in the pounded mixture.
8. Fry the sambal for 3 minutes, stirring, until it smells fragrant and the raw edge is gone.
9. Season the sambal with salt and a pinch of sugar.
10. Mound the steamed rice on each plate.
11. Lay the fried chicken alongside the rice.
12. Spoon the green sambal over the chicken and serve.