Manado/Minahasan Food : Ayam Rica-Rica (half instant)

Ayam rica-rica is a very famous Manadonese dish among non-Manado/Minahasa people. The word "rica" means chili, so it is very obvious that ayam rica-rica is supposed to be spicy. But if you are not a big fan of hot food, don't worry because the amount of chili can be adjusted according to your preference.

The strong fragrance in the dish comes from chili, ginger, lemongrass, and lemon leaves. So please make sure you do not miss these ingredients in making ayam rica-rica.

I did a little bit cheating in making this dish. Ayam rica-rica is supposed to have fried chicken components. But to cut all the hassle of marinating and frying the chicken, I used ready-made chicken wings. I baked them in the oven according to instructions mentioned in their packaging.

Ingredients:
4     tbsp vegetable oil
1     big bulb shallot / 4 pcs small shallots, finely chopped
3     cloves garlic, finely chopped
1-2  cm fresh ginger, grated
8     pcs chili padi, halved
150 grams sweet long pointed red pepper / big chili, finely chopped
4     lime leaves, rinsed and soaked in water
1/2  tbsp lemongrass powder
salt to taste
1/2 lime juice
1-2  tbsp sugar

750 grams / 1 pack instant chicken wing or fried chicken baked or fried as per instruction

How to cook:

1. Heat oil in a medium pan over high heat.
2. Saute shallot, garlic, chili, red pepper, ginger, and lime leaves until fragrant.
3. Add lemongrass powder, lime juice and salt.
4. Taste the mixture and add enough sugar to balance the sourness. 
5. Add the cooked chicken and stir well until the chicken pieces evenly coated by the sauce.
6. Ayam rica-rica is ready now ^^

Tips:
If you like more chili sauce on the chicken, reduce the amount of chicken. That way, you can enjoy more generous sauce with your warm plain rice.

Enjoy^^