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1
Simmer the Rice and Chicken
60 Mins • Mostly Hands Off
Gentle simmer, about 95°C (203°F)
Put the rinsed rice, 1.6 L water, the whole chicken breasts, ginger, garlic, turmeric and salt in a large pot. Bring to a boil, skim off any foam, then turn down to the gentlest simmer and cook for 55–60 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. The rice grains should break down completely into a soft, golden porridge, and the chicken must be hot all the way through, 74°C (165°F).
Stirring every 10 minutes is the whole secret — rice porridge catches and burns fast if it sits still.
Done when: Porridge is thick and smooth, rice grains broken down, chicken cooked through.
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2
Lift Out and Shred the Chicken
10 Mins • Hands On
Off the heat, chicken resting, about 70°C (158°F)
Lift the chicken breasts out onto a plate and let them cool for 5 minutes. Shred them into bite-size strips with two forks, discarding the ginger and garlic. Stir the shredded chicken back into the porridge or set it aside for topping.
Shredding while the chicken is still warm is much easier than waiting until it is cold.
Done when: Chicken shreds easily into fine strips with no pink left.
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3
Season the Porridge
5 Mins • Hands On
Low heat, about 90°C (194°F)
Stir the 20 ml soy sauce and the white pepper into the porridge. Taste and add a pinch more salt only if it needs it — the porridge should taste gently salty, with the turmeric in the background, because the kecap manis and sambal add more seasoning at the table.
Season lightly here: the toppings carry most of the salt.
Done when: Porridge tastes gently salty and golden, not grey or bland.
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4
Prepare the Toppings
10 Mins • Hands On
No heat — room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)
While the porridge simmers, chop the celery and spring onions, tear the cakwe into bite-size pieces, halve the boiled eggs if using them, and put the fried shallots, kecap manis and sambal in small bowls on the table.
Keep the cakwe dry until serving, or it goes soft in seconds.
Done when: All toppings are cut, torn and ready before the porridge leaves the pot.
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5
Serve with the Toppings
5 Mins • Hands On
Serving temperature, about 70°C (158°F)
Ladle the porridge into 4 warm bowls. Pile the shredded chicken on top, then scatter over the fried shallots, celery and spring onions, add the cakwe and half an egg, and drizzle with kecap manis. Put the sambal on the table so everyone seasons their own bowl.
Warm bowls keep the porridge hot to the last spoonful.
Done when: Each bowl is golden, topped with chicken, green herbs and crisp cakwe.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Ladle the porridge into warm bowls, pile the shredded chicken on top, and finish with the toppings — the crunch of the cakwe against the soft porridge is what makes the dish.
Indonesia
35m
