Serves 8 persons

Ingredients:

• 1 whole free-range chicken – cleaned and chopped into pieces

• 150g shallots – peeled and sliced

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 125ml coconut milk

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• 100ml cooking oil

• Juice of 1 calamansi (lime)

• 10g shallots – thinly sliced and deep-fried until golden for garnish

Pounded ingredients:

• 100g fresh red chilies – deseeded

• 100g garlic

• 100g ginger

• 30g galangal

• 30g lemongrass

• 15g fresh turmeric

• 6 candlenuts

• 5g shrimp paste (belacan)

Instructions:

1. Heat the wok and add the cooking oil. Sauté the pounded ingredients along with the sliced shallots until fragrant.

2. Add the chicken pieces and stir-fry for five minutes. Pour in the coconut milk and season with sugar, salt, and pepper. If needed, add a little water.* Cover and simmer over low heat until the chicken is fully cooked.

3. Transfer to a serving dish, drizzle with calamansi juice, and sprinkle the fried shallots on top before serving.

*Note: If using a blender to process the pounded ingredients, add a small amount of water before blending. After blending, strain and reserve the liquid. This reserved liquid can be used in step 2 in place of plain water for enhanced flavor.