Make this delicious Padang-style rendang ayam using Instant Pot pressure cooker or on the stove. If you like classic Indonesian beef rendang (rendang sapi), you will absolutely love this rendang ayam too.
Place the grated coconut in a dry pan over medium heat. Saute until the coconut turns golden brown and dry. Set aside. Can be kept in a jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or even a month
Cooking on the stove:
Preheat a large heavy-bottom pot. Add cooking oil. Swirl to coat the base of the pot. Add the aromatic paste and saute for about 3 minutes. Take care not to burn it. Add the spices and herbs and saute for another 30 seconds. Add the chicken pieces and seasonings followed by water and coconut milk
Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to let it gently simmer until the chicken pieces are cooked through. The chicken pieces will ooze out more liquid too as they cook. The oil will separate and you can see it floats. Stir in the toasted grated coconut
Once the chicken is cooked through (no longer pink or bloody, or internal temperature is 165F), probably about 20-25 minutes, depending on the size of the pieces too. Continue to cook until the liquid is reduced. I don't reduce mine to really dry because I still like to have some sauce, it's really up to you
Cooking with Instant Pot Pressure Cooker:
Press saute. When it's hot, add cooking oil. Add aromatic paste and saute for about 3 minutes. Take care not to burn it. Add the spices and herbs and saute for another 30 seconds. Add the chicken pieces and seasonings followed by water and coconut milk (if using)
Turn off saute mode. Scrape the bottom of the pot to make sure nothing is stuck there. Close the lid and turn the steam release valve to "sealing". Press "Pressure Cooker" and make sure it's on "high pressure". Set timer to 20 minutes. If you use frozen chicken, add another 5 minutes to the cooking time
After the timer is up, release pressure immediately. Stir in the toasted grated coconut and press saute mode to continue reducing the liquid until the sauce is thickened. It's really up to you how dry you want to cook the rendang. I prefer to still have some sauce so I don't reduce the liquid as much