Indonesian · lunch, dinner
Ayam Woku (Manado Chicken with Lemon Basil and Turmeric)
Ayam woku
Video by Devina Hermawan on YouTube, in Indonesian · Open on YouTube
- Gluten-free with a swap: use gluten-free mushroom stock powder
- Dairy-free
Contains: Gluten, Tree nuts. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.
Chicken simmered, not fried, in a turmeric, chilli and herb broth with a big handful of lemon basil: about 43 g protein and 13 g net carbs a serve, with under 2 g added sugar.
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Ingredients 22
Method
The cook speaks Indonesian; every step is written here in English. Tap a time to watch that step in the video. The video’s English subtitles come on by themselves.
- Cut the chicken into 14–16 small pieces so it cooks quickly and takes up the spices. 0:41
- Slice the lemongrass, chillies, ginger and turmeric across the fibres, then pulse with the shallots, garlic and candlenuts in a food processor to a slightly chunky mince. 1:40
- Heat the oil and sauté the spice mince until cooked and fragrant, adding the kaffir lime leaves and the pounded, knotted lemongrass. 3:08
- When the spices have cooked down, add the sliced tomatoes and stir until they soften. 3:57
- Add the chicken and stir to coat it in the spices; let it cook a few minutes. 4:18
- Pour in the water to just cover, season with sugar, salt, stock powder and pepper, add the knotted pandan, and simmer, stirring now and then, until the chicken is tender and the broth has reduced. 4:52
- Stir in the leeks, taste the thickened broth and adjust the seasoning. 7:04
- Add the lemon basil, turn off the heat once it wilts, and stir in the key lime juice. Remove the lemongrass and pandan before serving. 8:30
Tip. Serves 5 (our estimate from one chicken). Devina says to use more or fewer bird's eye chillies to taste and to skip the sugar if you don't like it sweet. Eaten with rice in Manado.
The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.
One serve gives you 1 of 5
Where the energy comes from one serve
- Net carbs 11%
- Protein 35%
- Fat 54%
Low carb: under 26% of the energy is from carbs.
Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more
Vitamin K High220%
263 µg a serve, mostly from lemon basil (79%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.
Omega-3 High65%
1 g a serve, mostly from canola or vegetable oil (70%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.
Selenium High64%
35 µg a serve, mostly from chicken (97%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.
Vitamin B6 High52%
0.9 mg a serve, mostly from chicken (65%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.
Vitamin C High38%
34 mg a serve, mostly from red chillies (28%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.
Zinc High34%
3.7 mg a serve, mostly from chicken (74%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.
Iron High29%
5.2 mg a serve, mostly from chicken (35%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.
Vitamin A High26%
231 µg a serve, mostly from lemon basil (57%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.
Magnesium High22%
92 mg a serve, mostly from chicken (36%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.
Vitamin E High20%
3 mg a serve, mostly from canola or vegetable oil (47%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.
Folate High20%
80 µg a serve, mostly from lemon basil (42%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.
Potassium Source18%
850 mg a serve, mostly from chicken (38%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.
Vitamin B12 Source18%
0.4 µg a serve, mostly from chicken (100%). Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.
Calcium Source12%
154 mg a serve, mostly from lemon basil (57%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.
Show the other 1
Vitamin D1%
0.1 µg a serve, mostly from chicken (100%). Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.
Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works
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Recipe and video by Devina Hermawan; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.