Lemper Ayam - Steamed Glutinous Rice with Spiced Chicken Floss

5.0 from 18 reviews

Author: Anita Jacobson

Categories: Snack

Cuisines: Indonesian

Ingredients: Chicken Rice

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 2 hours

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• Glutinous rice
• 300 gram white glutinous rice (Indonesian: beras ketan putih), soak for 4 hours or overnight
• 225 ml coconut milk (Indonesian: santan)
• 4 kaffir lime leaves (Indonesian: daun jeruk)
• 4 Indonesian bay leaves (Indonesian: daun salam)
• 2 pandan leaves (Indonesian: daun pandan), knotted
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Spiced chicken floss
• 250 gram boneless skinless chicken breast (Indonesian: daging dada ayam)
• 2 tablespoon oil
• 50 gram shallots (Indonesian: bawang merah)
• 3 cloves garlic (Indonsian: bawang putih)
• 3 candlenuts (Indonesian: kemiri), optional
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds (Indonesian: biji ketumbar)
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds (Indonesian: biji jinten)
• 2 kaffir lime leaves (Indonesian: daun jeruk)
• 2 Indonesian bay leaves (Indonesian: daun salam)
• 1 teaspoon tamarind + 3 tablespoon water, seeds and pulp removed
• 125 ml coconut milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 tablespoon sugar

Instructions

• Glutinous rice
  1. Prepare a steamer over medium high heat. Place rice in a steamed proof bowl and steam for 15 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, place coconut milk, kaffir lime leaves, bay leaves, pandan leaves, and salt in a pot and bring to a boil. Add the steamed glutinous rice into the pot and cook until all the liquid has been absorbed by the rice.
  3. Remove the rice and return into the steaming bowl. Steam for another 30 minutes until the rice is fully cooked. Stir and discard all the leaves. Keep warm.
• Spiced chicken floss
  1. Boil the chicken breast until cooked. Drain, tear into really small pieces like how chicken floss should be, and set aside.
  2. Grind shallots, garlic, candlenuts, coriander seeds, and cumin seeds into a fine paste.
  3. Heat oil in a frying pan and sauté the spice paste until fragrant, about 3 minutes.
  4. Add kaffir lime leaves, bay leaves, tamarind liquid, and coconut milk and bring to a boil.
  5. Add the chicken into the pan, season with salt and sugar. Stir and cook until all the liquid is fully absorbed by the chicken. The chicken floss needs to be dry. Remove from heat, discard the leaves, and set aside.
• Assemble the lemper (option 1)
  1. Oil a square baking pan (mine is an 8 inch x 8 inch x 2 inch) so the lemper can be easily removed.
  2. Take half of the glutinous rice, spread evenly and press. Add all the chicken floss, spread evenly, and press again. Take another half of the rice, spread evenly, and press again.
  3. Cover the baking pan with a cutting board (this should be bigger than the pan), flip, and use an oiled knife to cut into individual portions. You can cut into squares (3x3 or 4x4), or into rectangles (2x4 or 3x5). Serve immediately.
• Assemble the lemper (option 2)
  1. Line a square baking pan (mine is an 8 inch x 8 inch x 2 inch) with saran plastic with enough overhang so the lemper can be easily removed.
  2. Take half of the glutinous rice, spread evenly and press. Add all the chicken floss, spread evenly, and press again. Take another half of the rice, spread evenly, and press again.
  3. Grab the sran plastic overhang and remove from the pan. Use an oiled knife to cut into individual portions. You can cut into squares (3x3 or 4x4), or into rectangles (2x4 or 3x5). Serve immediately.