Priya’s sambal hijau ayam penyet packs a real punch

2026-03-14 - 01:13

Priya Nallan is the founder of Cheetah Baker’s in Rawang. (Theevya Ragu @ FMT Lifestyle) PETALING JAYA: You’ve probably been aware of the “ayam penyet” craze across the country – but have you ever seen the dish served at a bakery? “Penyet” translates to “smashed” or “pressed”, and refers to fried chicken that is crushed using a mortar and pestle before being served. This Indonesian specialty originated in East Java and is closely associated with the city of Surabaya. In Malaysia, other communities have adopted the dish and made it their own – including the likes of 36-year-old Priya Nallan, founder of Cheetah Baker’s in Rawang, Selangor. While you’ll definitely find cakes and other sweet treats at her cosy bakery, right at the front, she also prepares plates of ayam penyet. So, how did this all come about? Priya shared that she previously worked as a bridal makeup and hair artist. “But during the pandemic, my bridal business completely shut down, so I started baking instead,” she told FMT Lifestyle. Thanks to social media, what began as a home business serving friends and family gradually grew, eventually leading her to open a physical store in 2023. Priya only began serving ayam penyet at her bakery last year, but it quickly became a hit. (Theevya Ragu @ FMT Lifestyle) Things took a fortuitous turn last year when she took a trip to Thailand and sampled ayam penyet with sambal hijau for the first time. “I’ve tried ayam penyet here before but didn’t like it that much,” Priya admitted. “Then, after tasting the Thai version, I realised not many people served it with sambal hijau in Malaysia – so I decided to make it myself.” Priya, who began serving the dish at her bakery in May, not only swapped out the traditional red chilli sambal for green; she also tweaked other elements. “I made the sambal more suited to Indian taste buds, so I don’t use belacan and I don’t make it sweet,” she noted. She also skips the traditional step of smashing the chicken after frying. While this departs from the traditional “penyet” method, it comes with an advantage – the chicken stays piping hot when served! While the sambal is made with green chillies instead of red, don’t be fooled into thinking it’s any less spicy. (Afizi Ismail @ FMT Lifestyle) And while the chicken might not be smashed, the green chillies certainly are, before sizzling hot oil is poured over them. Despite this, “many Malay customers have told me the sambal is nice and less oily than what they’re used to”, Priya said. On the plate, the chicken looks closer to ayam goreng berempah than ayam penyet: brown rather than yellow, heavily spiced and wonderfully tender. It’s downright addictive. “I’ve even had Indonesian customers tell me it tastes similar to how they get it back home,” Priya added proudly. The portion of sambal hijau might appear small, but trust us – it still packs a serious punch. If it’s too hot, temper it with extra soy sauce. If it’s not hot enough, ask for more sambal and see just how much you can handle! You can watch Priya preparing ayam penyet right in front of her bakery. (Afizi Ismail @ FMT Lifestyle) Beyond the heat, the green chillies give it a slightly earthier flavour. A squeeze of lime helps balance everything beautifully. Best of all, the full ayam penyet set with tempeh, tofu, and a quarter leg of chicken costs only RM13.50. Priya also drew attention during Thaipusam this year when she sold a vegetarian version of the dish (no chicken, just tofu!) at Batu Caves, which proved an instant hit. “I’ve always wanted to serve people something different, so I hope to keep doing this,” she concluded. Find out more by checking out Cheetah Treats on Instagram. Cheetah Baker’s Lot D8, 1 Jalan Bintang, Pusat Bandar Rawang, 48000 selangor Business hours: 12pm-9.30pm daily