When Ginger Meets Fried Chicken: A Taste of Indonesia in Philadelphia
“I keep chasing it around because I want more of it.”
That’s Guy Fieri, fork in hand, hunting down every last bit of crispy ginger coating on a piece of Indonesian fried chicken. When a dish has Guy literally chasing flavor around his plate, you know something special is happening in that kitchen.
A Family Affair at This Funky Indonesian Joint
This Philadelphia spot caught Guy’s attention as a “funky little Indonesian joint” run by two daughters and their mom, Hardina. The family brings authentic Indonesian cooking to the city, with dishes that taste, as one diner put it, “exactly like how my grandma used to make it.” That kind of generational authenticity is exactly what Triple D is all about.
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The Star of the Show: Ayam Kawasan
The ginger fried chicken—called ayam kawasan in Indonesian—isn’t your typical fried bird. This is a dish that demands patience and layers of flavor built over hours.
It starts with a ginger paste that’s packed with aromatics: candlenut, shallots, garlic, fresh ginger, galangal, fresh turmeric, and turmeric powder. That paste becomes the soul of the dish. The kitchen uses country chicken—an older bird that’s leaner and less fatty than the young chickens most Americans are used to eating.
The chicken gets braised with bruised and tied lemongrass stuffed right into the pot, along with Indonesian bay leaf, turmeric, and salt. After two hours of braising, coconut milk goes in for another 20 minutes of cooking. Then the chicken comes out to dry while the ginger flakes from the braising liquid get skimmed off and placed on top. The final step? Frying that ginger paste right onto the chicken, creating what Guy called “this little ginger fry crunch” on the outside.
If you enjoy watching Guy discover complex fried chicken preparations, you might also appreciate when he tackled HUGE Fried Chicken & Smashed Potato in F.
The Sambal That Brings the Heat
No Indonesian meal is complete without sambal, and this kitchen makes their own sambal terasi—a hot sauce built on shrimp paste. Thai chilies, shallots, tomatoes, lime leaf, red peppers, sugar, salt, and paprika for color all get blended together. Despite the shrimp paste and Thai chilies, Guy noted he couldn’t even detect them individually—”that’s when the magic happens,” as they say in the kitchen.
Guy’s verdict on pairing it all together? “The sambal is the bomb with the rice, with the crunch, with the fry, with the chicken. When you get that optimum bite, it was dynamite.”
This Indonesian flavor profile shares some crossover with other Southeast Asian dishes Guy has featured, like the Filipino classic Kare Kare.
Tips From the Kitchen
Use country chicken: The leaner, older bird stands up better to the long braise without getting greasy.
Bruise and tie your lemongrass: This releases the oils while keeping it easy to remove later.
Let the chicken dry before frying: After braising, letting it rest helps the ginger paste fry up crispy instead of steaming.
Skim the ginger flakes: Don’t waste what’s in the pot—those flakes become your crispy coating.
The Verdict
Guy summed it up perfectly: “Ginger fried chicken has the crispy skin that you want but then the tender moist meat on the inside. The ginger, it just tingles on your tongue.”
Looking for more international flavors Guy has discovered? Check out when he tried Beer-Battered SALMON Fish and Chips, or browse our full restaurant directory to find Triple D spots near you.