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Lemper ayam
Sticky rice rolls with chicken
Lemper ayam: Javanese coconut sticky rice rolls round spiced shredded chicken, in banana leaf
Lemper turns up in every Javanese snack box, from office meetings to selamatan prayers: a log of savoury coconut sticky rice wrapped round chicken shredded and cooked down with coriander, lemongrass and coconut milk, then rolled tight in banana leaf. Some are grilled afterwards for a smoky leaf flavour. They make a filling mid-morning snack and travel well. Chef's tip: cook the chicken filling until it is quite dry; a saucy filling soaks into the rice and the rolls fall apart when unwrapped.
- Total time
- 90 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the rice
- 14 oz glutinous ricesoaked for at least 3 hours
- 1 ¼ cups coconut milk
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 pandan leafknotted
For the chicken filling
- 10 ½ oz boneless chicken thighs
- 5 shallots
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 candlenutsor macadamia nuts
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 stalk lemongrassbruised
- ½ cup coconut milk
- 1 tbsp palm sugar
- ½ tsp salt
To wrap
- 12 banana leavespieces about 20 x 15 cm, softened over a flame or in hot water
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Drain 14 oz glutinous rice and steam it over high heat until half-cooked and just translucent at the edges.
20 minStep 2: Meanwhile, warm 1 ¼ cups coconut milk with 1 tsp salt and 1 pandan leaf until steaming. Tip the rice into a bowl, pour the coconut milk over, stir and cover for 10 minutes until absorbed.
10 minStep 3: Steam the rice again until fully tender and sticky.
20 minStep 4: For the filling, poach 10 ½ oz boneless chicken thighs in simmering water until cooked through to 165°F in the thickest part, then cool and shred finely.
15 minStep 5: Pound or blend 5 shallots, 3 cloves garlic, 2 candlenuts and 1 tsp ground coriander to a paste. Fry it in 2 tbsp vegetable oil over a medium heat with 1 stalk lemongrass and 2 kaffir lime leaves until fragrant and lightly golden.
4 minStep 6: Add the shredded chicken, ½ cup coconut milk, 1 tbsp palm sugar and ½ tsp salt and cook, stirring, until the pan is almost dry and the chicken is clumping. Remove the lemongrass and leaves and cool.
8 minStep 7: Lay a piece of the 12 banana leaves on the board, spread 2 tablespoons of rice into a 10 x 6 cm rectangle with a wet spoon, put a line of filling down the middle and roll the rice round it to enclose it.
Step 8: Roll the leaf tightly round the lemper and fold or pin the ends with cocktail sticks. Repeat to make 12. Eat at room temperature the same day, or grill the parcels over a medium flame for a few minutes each side for smoky lemper bakar.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 420 kcal
- Protein
- 16 g
- Carbs
- 52 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does lemper ayam take?
- About 90 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 50 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of glutinous rice?
- Any long-grain rice, same amount.
- What can I use instead of coconut milk?
- Single cream, same amount (not dairy free).
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