Ayam Iloni (Gorontalo Grilled Coconut Chicken) Recipe

Name: Ayam Iloni (Gorontalo Grilled Coconut Chicken)
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 4 people
Cuisine: Indonesian, Gorontalo
Ingredients: 1 free-range chicken, quartered; 400 ml thick coconut milk; 2 lemongrass stalks; 3 kaffir lime leaves; 1 tbsp palm sugar; 2 tsp salt; 8 shallots; 5 garlic cloves; 6 red chillies; 5 bird's eye chillies; 3 cm turmeric; 2 cm ginger; 4 candlenuts; 1 tsp coriander seeds

How to Make

Fry the paste with lemongrass and lime leaves until fragrant.

Add the chicken and stir until it changes colour.

Add the coconut milk, palm sugar and salt. Simmer until the chicken is tender and the sauce thick.

Grill the chicken over charcoal, basting with the sauce, until browned.

Kitchen tip

Reduce the sauce until really thick so it clings to the chicken on the grill.

Questions

Where does Ayam Iloni (Gorontalo Grilled Coconut Chicken) come from?

Ayam Iloni is a traditional dish from Gorontalo (capital: Gorontalo), in the Sulawesi region of Indonesia.

How long does Ayam Iloni (Gorontalo Grilled Coconut Chicken) take to make?

It takes about 1 hr 15 min in total to make 4 servings, including preparation.

What is the secret to a good Ayam Iloni (Gorontalo Grilled Coconut Chicken)?

Reduce the sauce until really thick so it clings to the chicken on the grill.

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