Opor Ayam (Turmeric Coconut Chicken Curry)
Chicken pieces simmered low and slow in a fragrant turmeric-and-spice coconut milk, finished pale gold and silky. A festive, comforting curry that Indonesian families cook for Eid and family gatherings.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Blend the spice paste
In a blender or small food processor, combine the shallots, garlic, candlenuts, turmeric, coriander seeds and white pepper with a splash of water. Blend until you get a smooth, bright yellow paste.
- 6 shallots
- 4 cloves garlic
- 4 candlenuts
- 3 cm turmeric
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
✅ Done when: the paste is smooth with no visible chunks of shallot or nut
Cook the spice paste
Heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium-low heat. Add the spice paste, lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves and bay leaves. Stir often for 5–7 minutes; keep the heat gentle so the paste cooks through instead of browning or catching on the bottom.
- 3 tbsp oil
- 2 stalks lemongrass
- 3 cm galangal
- 4 kaffir lime leaves
- 3 bay leaves
✅ Done when: the paste smells fragrant and sweet, with no raw, sharp shallot smell left
Brown the chicken
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Simmer until tender
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Add the thick coconut milk
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Rest and serve
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Blend the spice paste
In a blender or small food processor, combine the shallots, garlic, candlenuts, turmeric, coriander seeds and white pepper with a splash of water. Blend until you get a smooth, bright yellow paste.
- 6 shallots
- 4 cloves garlic
- 4 candlenuts
- 3 cm turmeric
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
✅ Done when: the paste is smooth with no visible chunks of shallot or nut
Cook the spice paste
Heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium-low heat. Add the spice paste, lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves and bay leaves. Stir often for 5–7 minutes; keep the heat gentle so the paste cooks through instead of browning or catching on the bottom.
- 3 tbsp oil
- 2 stalks lemongrass
- 3 cm galangal
- 4 kaffir lime leaves
- 3 bay leaves
✅ Done when: the paste smells fragrant and sweet, with no raw, sharp shallot smell left
Brown the chicken
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Simmer until tender
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Add the thick coconut milk
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Rest and serve
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The Story Behind the Dish
Opor ayam belongs to Indonesia's wide family of coconut milk curries, part of a cooking style shaped over centuries by Indian and Arab trading influences layered onto local ingredients like turmeric, galangal and lemongrass. Unlike the fierier, chile-driven curries of the archipelago, opor stays pale and gentle, built for sharing at the family table.
It is best known today as a centerpiece of Lebaran, the Eid al-Fitr feast that follows the fasting month of Ramadan, where it is served alongside ketupat (rice cakes) and sambal goreng. Nearly every region and family has its own version, passed down and cooked in big batches for guests.
⭐ Why It's Famous
Its pale golden color, mellow spicing and silky coconut sauce make it the comforting counterpart to Indonesia's spicier curries, and its strong link to Lebaran makes it a dish of homecoming and celebration.
💡 Fun Fact
Many families make opor ayam the day before a big celebration, since the flavor deepens and rounds out overnight in the refrigerator.
Java, Indonesia
-7.80°S, 110.37°E
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