Opor Ayam
Javanese chicken in mild coconut milk stew, served at Lebaran
The recipe
Opor Ayam is the Javanese coconut-milk chicken stew — the centerpiece of the *Lebaran* (Eid al-Fitr) table in Java, served with *ketupat* (compressed rice cake) to millions of Indonesian Muslims at the end of Ramadan. The chicken is gently simmered in coconut milk with lemongrass, galangal, salam, candlenuts, and a small amount of palm sugar for sweetness. The result is a fragrant, slightly sweet, mild curry that lets the chicken shine. Unlike rendang or gulai, opor is light — it's a celebration dish, meant to be eaten in the morning after a night of prayer, not to be heavy. The defining flavor is the candlenut paste, which gives the sauce body and a slightly nutty depth.
Ingredients
Method
💡 Tips from the kitchen
- ·Use a whole chicken, not just breast. The bones give the sauce depth.
- ·Opor is meant to be mild. Add sambal if you want heat.
- ·It keeps 3 days in the fridge. Reheat gently — coconut milk splits easily.
The story
Did you know?
🇮🇩 Indonesia has 17,000+ islands — only 6,000 are inhabited.
Cook it yourself
Opor Ayam is one of Indonesia's heritage dishes. Want to try the recipe at home?
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