Impian Wahyu – This Indonesian Couple Makes Awesome Sambal Chilli!

Ayam penyet comes to mind when I crave Indonesian food. Oh, the thought of smashed fried chicken with fluffy white grains, sambal chilli, cucumber slices, fried tofu and tempeh, makes my mouth water. Ayam penyet is known especially for its super tender meat which is a result of a unique light smashing technique.

While pursuing a tip-off about a store that concocts their fresh sambal chilli by hand, I stumbled upon what could possibly be one of the best ayam penyet sambal chilli I have tasted thus far. Impian Wahyu is a humble little stall helmed by an Indonesian couple, Abang Batman and Wahyu Ning. You’d probably guess by now that the shop is named after Ms Wahyu. However, Mr Batman commands a spot on the signboard too. Spot that batman logo? There’s even a batman plushie hanging from the ceiling. If you’re curious, you should most definitely pop by. Mr Batman will be more than happy to provide a show-and-tell session about his name and the origins of the dishes, whilst you enjoy the the Indonesian spread prepared by them.

The Ayam Penyet ($5.50) is essentially an Indonesia-style chicken rice dish, so critics will probably be placing most emphasis on the quality of the rice or chicken. For me, the key is really the sambal chilli. 

Impian Wahyu’s sambal is divine. Yes, DIVINE. It is surprising that the sambal isn’t as spicy as the ones you would usually get at Ayam Penyet Ria or other stores. The combination of sugar, fried tomatoes, and dry chillies is a flavourful mix that can be enjoyed even on its own. Each portion of sambal chilli is handmade upon order.

Ms Wahyu first grabs a handful of tomato, and fries them till they are dry, before pouring it onto a portion of dried chillies and sugar. The ingredients are then pounded in a mortar to create the sambal chilli.

The chicken is slightly crispy, and is well seasoned with Indonesian spices. “Before this, we actually boil the chicken in a broth for at least 3 hours to soften the bones”, Mr Batman reveals right after he places the already softened chicken chunks in extremely hot oil. 

The couple recommended the Sup Buntut Oxtail ($8.00), which is a broth swimming with a generous amount of carrots, potatoes, tomatoes and oxtail meat. The vegetables added a touch of sweetness to the dish as well. I really liked the oxtail, which is soft and fatty.

The Tahu Goreng ($4.00) was a simple assembly of fried tofu and beansprouts, served with peanut sauce. Though the peanut sauce was slightly watery, the sweetness from it paired nicely with the tahu goreng.

“Do you know why we use begedil in our Mee Soto? If you put it in, the chicken broth will become thicker!” Yes Mr Batman, soaking the begedil in the already savoury chicken broth of the Mee Soto ($3.50) really gives it a better texture. Though I found the noodles to be quite average, the shredded chicken pieces were tender and really tasty.

I’m proud to say that Impian Wahyu has exceeded my expectations. Having built a home to some of the most authentic Indonesian dishes, Mr Batman guarantees that your tummies will be satisfied!

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.