Spicy Manado Chicken
Hey there, #Bestnics! 🍃
Let me tell you about one of the first spiciest foods I ever had when I was a kid:
Spicy Manado Chicken.
It's a memory that still sticks with me. I'll admit, the spiciness made me break into a sweat and left me scratching my head in disbelief.
Looking back, having a headache from eating something too spicy seemed like a good idea.
Have you ever heard of someone turning to spicy food when they were heartbroken or feeling stressed? Before I realized that my allergies had an emotional component, I used to find solace in incredibly spicy dishes as a way to vent my anger.
Well, don’t get me wrong, spicy food isn't fully bad. But for some of us, it's not about the heat, but rather the experience itself. Back then, I wouldn't stop eating until my stomach felt tight and the fiery sensation engulfed me.
Has anyone out there had a similar experience? ( I guess some of you just nodded! )
It's only now,
with a better understanding of myself,
that I've learned to accept and process all my emotions. Whether it's anger, joy, sadness, or disappointment, I believe that just like food, our emotions need to be digested properly for us to move forward.
This dish holds a special place in my heart because it's my mom's signature recipe, and she originally comes from Manado. I've tweaked the recipe to make it healthier by using Himalayan salt and mushroom seasoning that's free from MSG.
But you know what, it still manages to transport me back to my childhood!
The only difference now is that I savor it more mindfully, without the need to endure the intense spiciness.
And for sure, I will never try to cook it any other way!
Happy cooking and feel free to share!
Course Main Course
Cuisine Asian, Indonesia
Keyword Chicken, Spicy, Indonesian, Manado, non-msg
Prep 30 minutes
Cook 35 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Ingredients
Ingredients:
(A)
- 1 whole chicken
- 1/2 piece of lemon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
(B) Ground:
- 5 shallots
- 5 cloves of garlic
- 20 bird's eye chilies
- 10 curly chilies
- 2 inches of fresh ginger root
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
(C)
- 100 grams cherry tomatoes
- 250 grams baby potatoes
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon mushroom seasoning
(D)
- 150 ml water
Instructions
1. Soak ingredients (A) for 30 minutes, drain without rinsing.
2. Wash baby potatoes in a bowl with 1 liter of water + 1 tbsp apple vinegar, put aside for 20 minutes and rinse.
3. Sauté (B) with coconut oil until fragrant over medium heat.
4. Add the drained chicken, sauté until it starts to change color.
5. Add ingredients (C) and mix well.
6. Pour in water (D), cover the pot, reduce the heat to the lowest setting, and wait for about 30 minutes or until cooked.
7. Taste and adjust according to your preference. Spicy Manado Chicken is ready to be served.
Tips
- If using probiotic domestic chicken, there's no need to add water; using this type of chicken results in tender and flavorful Manado-style Rica Chicken.
- If using free-range chicken, choose ones that are still young for a tender result.
- You can add turmeric, kaffir lime leaves, and scallions according to preference.
- When using potatoes with skin, soak them first for 15-20 minutes in salt or apple cider vinegar to remove pesticides.
- If you don't like it too tangy, you can use regular tomatoes.
- Manado-style Rica Chicken is best consumed immediately or stored in a covered container in the chiller and reheated by steaming shortly before serving.
- Manado-style Rica Chicken can last for 4 days in the chiller and 2 weeks in the freezer.
