The first time I had ayam taliwang was in Lombok island back in 2014. Had it again in 2019 in Batam island. This is my third ayam taliwang - right here in Singapore at Yishun Park Hawker Centre. All three ayam taliwang tasted quite different 🤔
Yishun Park Hawker Centre is one of the new hawker centres opened under the revived hawker centre building programme. It is about 15 minutes walk from Yishun MRT station.
Was here at 8am but waited till 8:30am as the staff were still making the special sambal for ayam taliwang. Other dishes like regular nasi lemak were available from 7am.
Nasi lemak ayam taliwang set for $6.20. Can't see the large chicken thigh because it was generously blanketed under their signature sambal taliwang. Can't see the nasi lemak because it was covered by the fried egg 😄 There was another dollop of sambal chili and a heap of crispy fried anchovies and crunchy peanuts.
(Ayam taliwang is named after the regency of Taliwang in Sumbawa Island where the sambal came from. Sumbawa is just east of Lombok Island which itself is east of Bali. In Lombok Island, ayam taliwang stalls are as ubiquitous as chicken rice in Singapore.)
The tender greasy rice was made with average quality grains but it was sweetly aromatic with coconut milk and balanced with saltiness.
The chicken thigh was soft tender inside and out. It was well marinated with quite robust savoury spices and seasoning. The grilled thigh had a discernible smokiness from slight charring outside. Natural chicken flavour was missing.
The sambal taliwang was smooth (I mean not hand ground pulpy which I prefer) and was very
spicy followed by milder sweet and savoury flavours. The sambal went very
well with the chicken and the nasi lemak.
The other sambal was the "nasi lemak sambal" with anchovy umami, shallot sweetness followed by chili spiciness.
Together, the sambal taliwang and nasi lemak sambal were delicious with multi layers of flavours.
There was more than enough sambal for the serving size.
By itself, the fried anchovies and peanuts were too salty for my liking. They were okay when eaten with the milder tasting rice.
I don't eat cucumber with skin one.... . They were generous with the nice sambals but I ran out of rice to eat them with.
Overall, this is a nice nasi lemak a little different from the usual
fried chicken wing or ikan kuning side.
My first ayam taliwang in Lombak island. It was made with a whole kampung chicken which is the custom there. Grilled till a little dry and chewy. The sambal was sparse and tasted sweet, spicy, savoury i.e. neither as generous nor as spicy as what I had today at Yishun Park. I need to go back to Lombok and try some more ayam taliwang.
My second ayam taliwang in Batam island was similar to what I had today in Singapore though the sambal taliwang was less spicy and more pulpy which I prefer. Chicken was firmer and more chewy.
Written by Tony Boey on 12 Oct 2021
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