Ayam geprek

Ayam geprek (Javanese: ꦥꦶꦠꦶꦏ꧀ꦒꦼꦥꦿꦺꦏ꧀, romanized: pitik geprèk, 'crushed chicken') is Indonesian crispy battered fried chicken crushed and mixed with hot and spicy sambal.^[3] Currently, ayam geprek is commonly found in Indonesia and neighbouring countries; however, its origin was from Yogyakarta in Java.^[2]

Ayam geprek

A plate of ayam geprek, fried chicken in sambal served with steamed rice
Course	Main course
Place of origin	Indonesia[1]
Region or state	Yogyakarta
Associated cuisine	Indonesia
Created by	Ruminah from Yogyakarta[2]
Invented	2003
Serving temperature	Hot
Main ingredients	fried chicken served with sambal
Media: Ayam geprek

Geprek is the Javanese term for "crushed" or "smashed", thus ayam geprek means "crushed chicken".^[4] It is quite similar to the traditional East Javanese ayam penyet, as both consist of fried chicken that is smashed and mixed with hot and spicy sambal chili paste. The difference is that ayam penyet is a type of traditional Javanese ayam goreng that is half-cooked in bumbu kuning (yellow spice paste) before being deep-fried in hot palm oil, while ayam geprek is more akin to Western-style (American) fried chicken that is coated with batter and popularly known as ayam goreng tepung (battered fried chicken) in Indonesia.^[4]

Origin

Ayam geprek gained popularity across Indonesia in 2017, with numbers of outlets sprung in most Indonesian cities. Its origin, however, was believed from Yogyakarta, from the creation of Mrs. Ruminah or popularly known as Bu Rum. In 2003, Bu Rum's customers requested that her ayam goreng tepung (battered fried chicken) to be smashed and topped with sambal chili paste.^[2] Subsequently, this smashed spicy crispy fried chicken has gained wider popularity, as numbers of restaurants copied the recipe.

Another source argued that the current popularity of ayam geprek was initiated by local fast food chain Quick Chicken, that launched their product called "American Penyet" in 2013. Bedi Zubaedi, founder and CEO of Quick Chicken, claimed that before the ayam geprek was as popular, they had made an identical dish named "American Penyet". This menu is a blend of Western-style fried chicken served in the Indonesian penyet method mixed with sambal bajak.^[1]

Ayam geprek is commonly served with sambal chili paste; however, today its new variants might be served with additional mozzarella cheese toppings and kol goreng (fried cabbage).^[3]

Commercialisation

• Geprek Bensu is a fast food chain revolving around ayam geprek, with locations in Indonesia, Hong Kong, and Malaysia.^{[citation needed]}

See also

• Food portal
• Indonesia portal

• Fried chicken
• Ayam goreng
• Ayam penyet