Ayam penyet

Ayam penyet is a whole or split chicken, fried until crisp, then pounded flat in a mortar and served with chilli sambal. The name comes from the Javanese word "penyet", meaning squashed or smashed.

What it really is

The chicken is first marinated, usually with garlic, shallot, turmeric and salt, then deep-fried in palm or vegetable oil until the skin is crisp. While still hot, it is placed on a plate or in a mortar and pressed flat with a pestle, which breaks the meat into a flattened piece and cracks the skin so it soaks up the sauce.

It is most often eaten with sambal made by pounding fresh red chilli, shrimp paste, tomato and lime, and with a side of fried tempeh, tofu, cucumber and steamed rice. Ayam penyet differs from plain fried chicken in the smashing step and in the sambal served with it; it is not the same as ayam geprek, which is also smashed but is usually a fried fillet pounded with a chilli paste.

How it's served

• Served hot on a plate, with the chicken pressed flat and the skin cracked open
• Eaten with steamed white rice and a spoonful of sambal on top
• Usually accompanied by fried tempeh or tofu, cucumber and raw vegetables
• Eaten with the hands or a spoon and fork in warungs and food courts

How to write it on the menu

• Write as Ayam penyet and name the chicken (whole leg, thigh or breast) and the sambal, for example sambal terasi
• State that the sambal contains shrimp paste, which is a crustacean and fish-derived ingredient for guests with allergies
• Name the spice level of the sambal, as it is usually very hot
• Describe the smashing step on the menu, for example smashed fried chicken, so it is not confused with a plain fried chicken dish