Ayam kecap: Indonesian sweet soy chicken

Chicken braised in kecap manis, Indonesia's thick sweet soy sauce, with shallots, garlic, ginger and a pinch of nutmeg until dark, sticky and glossy. Children generally adore it.

Ingredients

• 700 g Chicken thighs, boneless and skinless, cut into large pieces
• 20 ml Vegetable oil
• 120 g Shallots, sliced
• 0.3 Garlic, sliced
• 20 g Fresh ginger, cut into matchsticks
• 80 ml Kecap manis
• 15 ml Soy sauce
• 1 g Nutmeg, freshly grated
• 2 Tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 1 Limes, juiced
• 3 Spring onions, sliced
• 320 g Jasmine rice
• 200 g Green beans

Method

1. Heat the oil in a wide pan and brown the chicken pieces all over. Lift out.
2. Fry the shallots, garlic and ginger in the same pan until soft and golden.
3. Return the chicken with the kecap manis, soy sauce, nutmeg and 150ml water. Cover and simmer gently.
4. Cook the rice in a lidded pan with 480ml water. Boil or steam the green beans for the last 4 minutes.
5. Add the tomatoes and lime juice and simmer uncovered until the sauce is thick and sticky and the chicken is cooked through.
6. Scatter with spring onions and serve with the rice and beans.