Ayam Goreng Indonesian Fried Chicken

Meanwhile, halve the lime.

In a medium bowl, combine half the lime juice with the olive oil and sugar for the dressing (see pantry for both amounts). Season with salt and pepper. 

Trim the baby gem, separate the leaves, then tear into bite-sized pieces. Roughly chop the coriander (stalks and all). Crush the peanuts in the unopened sachet using a rolling pin.

Put the plain flour (see pantry for amount) into a large bowl. Add the Indonesian style spice mix and season with salt and pepper. Mix to combine.

 Add the chicken thighs to the bowl and turn them over in the flour to coat well. IMPORTANT: Wash your hands and equipment after handling raw chicken and its packaging.

Put a large frying pan on high heat and add enough oil to completely coat the bottom of the pan. TIP: You want the oil to be hot so the chicken fries properly - heat for 2-3 mins before you add the chicken. 

Once hot, carefully lay the chicken into the pan, reduce the heat to medium-high and fry until golden-brown and cooked through, 12-14 mins total. Turn every 2-3 mins and adjust the heat as necessary. Discard any flour left in the bowl.

Once cooked, remove from the heat and place the chicken onto kitchen paper. IMPORTANT: The chicken is cooked when no longer pink in the middle.

Meanwhile, make the sauce.

In a small bowl, combine the sambal paste and ketjap manis with the remaining lime juice and sugar for the sauce (see pantry for amount). Set aside. 

When everything's almost ready, add the lettuce, peanuts and half the coriander to the medium bowl with the lime dressing. Toss to evenly coat the lettuce.