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Opor Ayam (Chicken in White Coconut Curry)

Name: Opor Ayam (Chicken in White Coconut Curry)
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Cuisine: Indonesian
Ingredients: 3 lbs chicken pieces; 2 cups coconut milk; 5 shallots; 4 cloves garlic; 2-inch piece galangal; 2 stalks lemongrass; 1 tsp coriander; 4 candlenuts; 1/2 tsp white pepper; 3 bay leaves; 4 kaffir lime leaves; 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp palm sugar

Opor Ayam (Chicken in White Coconut Curry) reads nutty 6.5, richness 5.4 and citrus 4.8 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Indonesian main, about 1 hr 5 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

Umami & Savory — 3.9 / 10
Sweet & Fruity — 5.2 / 10
Sour & Bright — 5.1 / 10
Bitter & Earthy — 2.7 / 10
Rich & Fat — 8.1 / 10
Aromatic & Spice — 4.6 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Nutty 6.5 · Richness 5.4 · Citrus 4.8 · Sweetness 4.7 · Allium 4.1 · Salinity 3.6 · Umami 2.7 · Earthy 2.5 · Herbaceous 2.5 · Floral 2.4 · Fruity 1.7 · Bitterness 1.3 · Warm Spice 1.3 · Sourness 1.0 · Heat 0.7

What's in it (13)

3 lbs chicken pieces
2 cups coconut milk
5 shallots
4 cloves garlic
2-inch piece galangal
2 stalks lemongrass
1 tsp coriander
4 candlenuts
1/2 tsp white pepper
3 bay leaves
4 kaffir lime leaves
1 tsp salt
1 tsp palm sugar

Time & effort: about 1 hr 5 min (20 min active) · effort: medium

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 220.4 kcal, 18.8 g protein, 13.5 g fat, 6.7 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (3 steps)

Fry ground candlenut-spice paste until aromatic, then add chicken and coat well.
Pour in coconut milk with lemongrass and bay leaves and simmer gently until chicken is tender and sauce thickens slightly.
Season to taste and serve with ketupat or rice.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

Rendang Daging (Minang Beef Fried in Its Own Spice Paste) — Indonesian
Harissa Roasted Cauliflower Steaks — Middle Eastern
Satay (Malaysian Grilled Skewers) — Malaysian
Rendang (Slow-Cooked Spiced Beef) — Indonesian
Curried Cauliflower With Cashews — Indian

Keep reading: what nutty, richness, citrus mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.