Ayam Bacem Panggang Recipe (Javanese Grilled Marinated Chicken)

The Javanese are an ethnic group native to the Indonesian island of Java. They were traditionally concentrated in the provinces of East Java, Central Java and Yogyakarta, but due to migration within Indonesia (as part of government transmigration programs or otherwise) there are now high populations of Javanese people in almost all the Indonesian provinces. The province of West Java is home to the Sundanese, Indonesia’s second largest ethnic group who are ethnically distinct from the Javanese.

Javanese culinary, especially Central Java and Yogyakarta, is popular for the sweetness. It’s different with the Eastern Javanese, that is more spicy. Here is one of popular Javanese style fried chicken, but in this recipe I made the grill version. Eat this chicken with the sambal (chili paste) and lalapan (raw vegetables).

In this recipe, it’s added a special ingredient, coconut sugar. It’s come from coconut palm. Don’t get confused with palm sugar, which is come from the palmyra or sugar palm.
In bahasa Indonesia, coconut sugar is translated as Gula Jawa, gula means sugar and jawa can be translated as Java or Javanese.

Ingredients:
1 whole chicken, cut into 4 pieces
3 cm galangal
2 Indonesian bay leaves
520 mL coconut water
1 tbsp ground coriander
1/4 – 1/2 tsp turmeric powdered
1 tsp tamarind

Puree:
3 cloves garlic
6 shallots
1 tsp salt
2-3 coconut sugar sliced

Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients in a large pot. Simmer the pot until the chicken tender and the water evaporates.
2. Grill/roast until brown. Serve with sambal, lalapan (raw vegetables) and steamed rice.