Ayam Taliwang thriving despite fast-food boom<\/p>\n
Wahyuni Kamah, Contributor, Denpasar, Bali<\/p>\n
A visit to Lombok is not complete without eating ayam taliwang
\n-- fried, grilled or roasted chicken, a popular local cuisine.<\/p>\n
In Mataram, the capital of West Nusa Tenggara province, there
\nare a number of restaurants that call themselves ayam taliwang
\nrestaurants, or those that include the special dish on their
\nmenus. However, the most popular restaurant there is Rumah Makan
\nTaliwang I that specializes in ayam taliwang and is known for its
\nauthentic taste.<\/p>\n
Sandwiched between the shops in Jl. A.A. Gede Ngurah,
\nCakranegara, Lombok, Rumah Makan Ayam Taliwang I has served its
\nloyal customers since 1968. Dinner is the busiest time and if you
\nare a little late, the menus are likely to have run out.<\/p>\n
Rumah Makan Ayam Taliwang I was the first restaurant in
\nMataram. It was called Ayam Taliwang because the founders, the
\nlate H.A. Murad and his wife, Salmah, came from Kampung Karang
\nTaliwang, Cakranegara on Lombok island.<\/p>\n
Despite the growing presence of fast-food chicken restaurants
\nin Mataram, Alwi, Murad's son who runs the restaurant business,
\ndoesn't worry about his competitors.<\/p>\n
Unlike fast-food outlets or other ayam taliwang restaurants,
\nRumah Makan Ayam Taliwang I only serves ayam kampung (local free-
\nrange chicken) and uses no preservatives.<\/p>\n
Ayam kampung, indeed, has a different taste. Its flesh is more
\ndelicious and sweeter than broiler chicken though you must really
\nuse your teeth since it is not as tender. Ayam kampung is leaner
\nand smaller than the broiler chicken. So if you are really
\nhungry, one portion of ayam taliwang may not be enough.<\/p>\n
The restaurant also accepts orders from outside Mataram. Some
\nloyal restaurant-goers order the food to take with them as far
\naway as Malaysia and China. No additives are used in restaurant
\nfood and all ingredients used to make the accompanying dishes
\nsuch as pelecing kangkung (kangkung drizzled with tangy tomato
\nsambal) and beberok terong (cooked eggplant with fresh chopped
\nonion and chili sauce), are fresh.<\/p>\n
The dishes available in Ayam Taliwang I restaurant, such as
\nayam taliwang, rawon (dark beef soup), kare (curry), sop kikil ,
\npelecing kangkung and beberok terong are very hot and spicy.<\/p>\n
Ayam taliwang is served either roasted or fried. Ayam pelecing
\n(spicy grilled chicken) is roasted or fried, while ayam plalah is
\ncooked in chilli sauce and thick coconut milk. Ayam pelecing is
\nthe hottest of the lot as the chicken is showered with hot chilli
\nsauce.<\/p>\n
If you are not used to hot and spicy cuisine, you should be
\ncareful because this food will burn your tongue and make you
\nperspire. Ayam taliwang is usually served with pelecing kangkung
\nor beberok terong and both are very hot.<\/p>\n
One portion of roast or grilled chicken costs Rp 15,000 (US$
\n1.50).<\/p>\n
Despite the prices, which are a bit steep for such
\nrestaurants, people keep coming. They are drawn by the delicious
\naroma and taste of the authentic dishes at Ayam Taliwang.<\/p>\n
Ibu Salmah, Alwi's mother, formulated all the ingredients in
\nthe recipes. The formula has been passed down from one generation
\nto another.<\/p>\n
\"Now my wife has learned it from my mother,\" Alwi said.
\nAccording to him, taliwang food is said to have originated from
\nSasak kings and nobility.<\/p>\n
To make the spices used daily by the restaurant they use five
\nkilograms of fresh chilli, one kilogram of dried chilli, three
\nkilograms of cabe rawit (small green chili) and 50 coconuts.<\/p>\n
The 75-year-old woman is assisted by Alwi's wife and another
\n12 staff members in the preparation of the ingredients. In the
\nmorning, the kitchen is busy. Everything is prepared
\ntraditionally. They use a traditional spice grinder instead of a
\nmodern blender to pound the ingredients and use firewood to fuel
\nthe stove to cook the spices.<\/p>\n
The spice mixture is cooked in the morning and then brought to
\nthe restaurant before noon. The restaurants use the cooked spices
\nuntil night. Alwi said that special dishes that need fresh
\ningredients like beberok terong are made as soon as visitors
\nplace an order.<\/p>",
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