Ayam kecap
Ayam kecap or ayam masak kicap is an Indonesian Javanese chicken dish poached or simmered in sweet soy sauce commonly found in Indonesia and Malaysia.
History and origin
Fried chicken in sweet soy sauce is a typical chicken dish commonly served across Indonesia. It is more precisely of Javanese-Indonesian cuisine|Chinese] origin. The recipe follows the production of Indonesian kecap manis. Historically, soy sauce production is linked to Chinese influence in the archipelago. However, the Indonesian Javanese version of soy sauce is distinguished by a generous addition of thick liquid palm sugar with the consistency of molasses. Ayam kecap pedas is a spicier version which includes a generous amount of chili pepper.Regional variations
Indonesia
In Indonesia, ayam kecap consists of pieces of chicken simmered in kecap manis, spiced with shallot or onion, garlic, ginger, pepper, leek and tomato. Other versions may include richer spices, including nutmeg and cloves. In Indonesia, the term ayam kecap is often interchangeable with ayam goreng kecap and semur ayam. These are all similar—if not almost identical—recipes of chicken cooked in sweet soy sauce. However, recipes for semur ayam often call for richer spices, such as clove, cinnamon and star anise. Ayam goreng kecap includes thicker sweet soy sauce and is often served with slices of fresh lime or a splash of lime juice. The main difference is probably its water content: although still quite moist, both ayam kecap and ayam goreng kecap are usually dryer and use thicker soy sauce compared to semur ayam, which is more watery.Ayam kecap commonly uses poached chicken cut in pieces, including the bones. A variant called ayam panggang kecap uses identical sweet soy sauce and spices, but uses boneless chicken fillets that are grilled instead of fried.