Pepes Ayam (Steamed & Grilled Chicken Parcels)

Pepes is an Indonesian cooking method using banana leaves as food wrappings, cooked on steam & grilled on charcoal. This cooking technique allowed the rich spices mixture to be compressed against the main ingredients inside the individual banana leaf package while being cooked & also add distinct aroma of cooked or burned banana leaf. There are many variations of pepes recipes. Fish, shrimp, squid, minced meat, tofu, oncom, mushroom are also available to be prepared in this method.

In Indonesian & English (the English version is below the recipe written in Indonesian)

Bahan

• 250 gr Fillet ayam, 100 ml Santan, 1 sm Air asam

• 4 Daun salam, 4-8 Rawit, 1 sm Air jeruk nipis

• 2 Sereh-geprek & ambil putihnya lalu belah 2

• 7 Daun jeruk muda-iris halus yang 3 lembar

• 1 Pandan-potong per 3 cm, Daun Kemangi

• 1-2 Daun pisang

Haluskan:

• 2 cm Kunyit, 3 Bawang merah, 2 Bawang putih kecil

• 1 cm Jahe, ½ cm Lengkuas muda-parut, Garam

• 1 st Ketumbar, 3 Kemiri-sangrai

Cara membuat

• Potong2 ayam uk. 3X4 cm, lumuri dng air nipis & garam, campur dengan daun jrk iris, diamkan 15 mnt. Tumis bumbu hls, beri air asam & santan, mskkan ayam, masak hingga ayam berubah warna.

• Potong2 daun pisang uk. ± 14X27 cm. Ltkkan 1 daun jrk, 1 salam, 1 ptg pandan, kemangi, 1-2 rawit & seiris sereh di tiap lembar daun pisang. Beri adonan ayam di atasnya, bungkus & semat dng lidi. Kukus ± 20 mnt. Panggang di api sebentar.

Ingredients

• 250 gr Chicken fillet, 100 ml Coconut milk, 1 Pandan leaf

• 1 tbsp Tamarind juice, 4 Bay leaves, Lemon basil leaves

• 2 Lemongrass, 1 tbsp Lime juice, 1-2 Banana leaves

• 4-8 Bird`s Eye Chilies, 7 Kaffir lime leaves

Grind into a paste:

• 3 Shallots, ½ cm young Galangal, 2 small Garlic cloves

• 2 cm Turmeric, 3 Candlenuts-toasted, 1 cm Ginger

• 1 tsp Coriander, Salt

Directions

• Bruise & then halve each white part of the lemongrass. Slice the pandan leaf into several 3 cm sheets. Cut banana leaves into several 14X27 cm sheets.

• Slice the chicken into 3X4 cm chunks. Thinly sliced 3 lime leaves. Smear chicken with lime juice & salt, mix it with sliced lime leaves. Let it rest for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, sauté the spices paste; pour in tamarind juice & coconut milk. Put in chicken & cook until the colour changed.

• Put 1 piece of each kaffir lime leaf, bay leaf, pandan leaf, lemon grass; some basil leaves & 1-2 chilies in the center of each banana leaf sheets. Put in some chicken chunks (incl. the sauce) on top & then wrap up the banana leaves until it covers all. Pin with small skewers/toothpicks. Steam it for ~ 20 minutes & then grill them for awhile.

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