Indonesian barbecued sweet soy chicken

This is one of those dishes I have looked at for some time and always wondered what it would taste like. It was absolutely delicious!

I love kecap manis, a sweet, syrupy, deep coffee-coloured soy-based sauce. This sauce is essentially sweetened soy sauce, a staple on any Indonesian table, and always in my pantry. It is used both as a base sauce to cook with but also as a condiment. It will brighten up anything you put it on, and in my opinion, it is much better than the regular tomato ketchup. For us trivia buffs, the word ketchup is derived from the Cantonese word koechiap, or "sauce". More on this fantastic condiment here. It is available in any Asian store or on Amazon in India.

These wings are packed with flavour from kecap manis. Slightly sweet, especially when dunked in the dipping sauce, they are finger-licking good. The spices are gentle, and the salt from the soy sauce shines with the caramelized sugars. These are drumsticks you cannot stop munching on. I used drumsticks, but you can substitute bone-in chicken thighs, wings, or chicken breasts. I also paired them with a fresh and crunchy Indonesian sweet coconut and basil salad.

This is a wonderful modern cookbook that explores Indonesian cuisine. Filled with amazing photographs and recipes, it is a wonderful introduction to this otherwise complex cuisine.

For more recipes from this cookbook, click here.

Ingredients:

8-10 chicken drumsticks or bone-in thighs

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons kecap manis

2 tablespoons dark palm sugar or jaggery

1 tablespoon oil

3-4 garlic cloves, finely minced

2 teaspoons ground coriander seeds

1 teaspoon pepper

For the sweet soy dipping sauce:

4 tablespoons kecap manis

Juice of 1/2 lime

1-3 Thai chillies, minced

Make the sweet soy dipping sauce by mixing all the ingredients well. Set aside for 30 minutes. Taste and adjust the chilli according to your palate. The sauce can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge for 2-3 days.

Mix the chicken with the marinade ingredients. Marinate for at least three hours; however, overnight is preferred.

Grill the chicken for about 7 minutes per side until it is completely cooked through. Baste with any leftover marinade every 5 minutes until the marinade is finished. Serve immediately.

Alternatively, heat the oven to 375 F.

Layer the chicken on a lined baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes until cooked through. Baste with any leftover marinade every 5 minutes until the marinade is finished. Serve immediately with a fresh and crunchy Indonesian sweet coconut and basil salad.