Tender, spice-infused chicken gets a golden-brown crust after frying, topped with a generous layer of airy kremes. The crispy crumbs are made from the seasoned cooking liquid, bringing the chicken, topping and rice together beautifully.
Ayam goreng kremes brings together two cooking methods. First, the chicken gently cooks in water with spices, making the meat tender and infusing the cooking liquid with flavor. Then the chicken is briefly fried to brown the outside. Some of that same liquid is made into a thin batter that fans out in hot oil into light, crispy crumbs. The contrast between tender meat and crunchy topping is what makes this dish distinctive.
Galangal, coriander, garlic and turmeric give the cooking liquid a warm, aromatic flavor. Galangal is fresh and slightly citrusy; fresh galangal root is best here, but if you can’t find it, you can use about a teaspoon of ground galangal. It will give a slightly different aroma. Use ground coriander seed, not coriander leaves: the seeds are part of the spiced base. Turmeric gives the chicken and batter a yellow color, but it doesn’t mean the chicken needs to fry for long; it’s already cooked before it goes into the oil.
The ratio of liquid to flour is important for the kremes. Rice flour gives it a dry, light bite; tapioca flour helps the thin strands hold together. Whisk the batter until smooth and make it thin enough to pour in a steady stream. You may not need all the cooking liquid: add it little by little until the batter flows smoothly off a spoon. An egg binds the mixture, but if the batter is too thick, it will form firm clumps rather than fine, crispy crumbs.
Take care when working with hot oil. Use a large, deep pan and drizzle the batter into the oil in small batches from a little height, for example through the wires of a whisk. This lets it spread out before it sets. Keep the oil around 175 °C; oil that’s too cool makes the crumbs greasy, while oil that’s too hot browns them quickly. Lift them out as soon as they’re light golden brown and let them drain. Fry the chicken first, then make the kremes in the same oil, so you don’t need to use extra oil to fill the pan.
Serve the chicken and kremes right away with rice and sambal. Sprinkle the crispy crumbs over the chicken at the last moment; they’ll lose their crunch if covered or left on a damp plate. Leftover chicken can be covered and refrigerated within two hours, then reheated thoroughly within two days. Store the kremes separately in a dry, airtight container; if it has softened, you can briefly warm it in a dry frying pan. Rice and sambal make a simple accompaniment, but cucumber on the side adds a fresh, juicy contrast.
Put the chicken, garlic, galangal, coriander, turmeric, bay leaves, salt and 750 ml water in a large pan. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer gently for 35–40 minutes with the lid partly on. Turn the chicken halfway through. The meat should be cooked through and come easily away from the bone.
Lift the chicken out of the pan and let it drain. Strain the cooking liquid and measure out 250 ml. Let it cool for a few minutes; save any extra cooking liquid for another use.
Rinse the rice until the water is mostly clear. Put it in a pan with 450 ml water, bring to a boil and cook over low heat for 12 minutes with a tightly fitting lid. Turn off the heat and let it stand, covered, for another 10 minutes.
Mix the rice flour and tapioca flour in a bowl. Beat in the egg, then gradually add 250 ml cooking liquid. Stir until you have a smooth, thin batter that runs off a spoon in a steady stream.
Heat the oil in a deep, heavy pan to 170–175 °C. Fry the chicken in batches for 4–6 minutes, turning as needed, until the outside is golden brown and crispy. Drain on a rack or paper towels. Keep the oil at temperature.
Whisk the batter again until smooth. Use a ladle to drizzle it in small streams through the wires of a whisk into the hot oil. Fry one small batch at a time for 1–2 minutes, until the crumbs are light golden brown and crispy. Lift them out of the oil with a slotted spoon and let them drain. Repeat with the remaining batter.
Divide the rice among plates and place the chicken on top. Sprinkle over the kremes just before serving and serve with the sambal.
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