- 4 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 large onions, coarsely chopped
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1 1-inch piece shrimp paste (belachan)
- 2 tablespoons galangal powder (lengkuas)
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons ground anise seed
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 60 bamboo skewers
- Place chicken cubes in a large bowl.
- Place onions, brown sugar, garlic, shrimp paste, galangal powder, coriander, cumin, anise seed, black pepper, and turmeric in the bowl of a food processor. Grind into a smooth paste. Transfer to bowl with chicken; mix well to coat chicken.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
- Set oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler. Line 2 baking sheets with aluminum foil.
- Thread chicken onto bamboo skewers, leaving enough space to hold skewers. Arrange skewers on baking sheets.
- Broil in the preheated oven until top is browned, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven; flip all the skewers over. Return to the oven and broil second side until browned, about 10 minutes more. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).