Ayam goreng, which literally means fried chicken in Indonesian, is a popular dish that has many variations across the country. One of the most beloved types of ayam goreng is Ayam Goreng Kremes, which gets its unique texture from the addition of kremesan – crispy granules made from mixed flours and leftover broth.

In this recipe, we'll be making a delicious and aromatic fried chicken dish that's perfect for serving with steamed white rice or yellow rice and sambal bajak or sambal terasi. The key to achieving the signature crunchy texture is to make sure you mix the batter well and fry it in hot oil, swirling around the surface to create those golden brown granules.

History of Ayam Goreng Kremes

Ayam goreng kremes has its roots in a popular restaurant chain in Indonesia called Ayam Goreng Suharti, which introduced this menu item for the first time. The secret to their kremesan lies in using leftover broth from cooked chicken and mixing it with mixed flours to create crispy granules.

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 10 pieces of chicken, cleaned
• 2 stalks of lemongrass
• 5 Indonesian bayleaf (daun salam) – optional, you can skip if you don't have it
• 4 kaffir lime leaves
• 3 cm fresh galangal, smashed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 litre of water
• Spice Paste:

• 3 shallots
• 5 cloves of garlic
• 2 cm of fresh ginger
• 3 cm fresh turmeric (or 2 teaspoons turmeric powder)
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 3 candlenuts

• To make crispy granule (kremesan):

• 100 g rice flour
• 40 g tapioca flour
• 350 ml leftover broth from cooked chicken
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Directions:

1. Blend or grind all spice paste ingredients.
2. Boil the Chicken with the spice paste, lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, and bayleaf. Add the salt and cook until it's tender and spice is absorbed. Leave about 300 ml of broth.
3. When the chicken is cooked, leave it cold for a moment.
4. Heat the oil in a non-stick deep frying pan, fry the chicken until it's brown and crispy. Set aside.
5. Make Kremes crispy granule (kremesan):

• Combine all ingredients and mix them well to make a smooth batter. If the batter is too thick, add a bit of water.
• Heat up the deep frying pan with plenty of oil. When the oil is hot enough, take some batter and swirl around the surface. Lower the heat and let it fry until golden brown and crunchy. Remember to stir the mixture each time before adding it to the hot oil.
• Take out from the oil and use kitchen paper to absorb excess oil.

Tips and Variations:

• To achieve a honeycomb texture (bersarang) like Ayam Goreng Suharti's kremesan, you can add sagoo flour to your batter. However, this ingredient may be difficult to find in some areas.
• You can adjust the amount of spices and herbs to suit your personal taste preferences.
• Serve with steamed white rice or yellow rice and sambal bajak or sambal terasi for a delicious meal.

Difficulty Level: Medium

Cooking Time: 45 minutes

We hope you enjoy this recipe for Ayam Goreng Kremes, a tasty Indonesian fried chicken dish with crunchy granules. Don't forget to tag us @whattocooktoday on Instagram and let us know how your cooking experience goes!