Ayam kodok — Indonesia

Ayam kodok, whose name translates literally as frog chicken, is a whole chicken that has been boned out through the back so the skin and flesh form a single pocket, then filled with a seasoned stuffing before cooking. Once cooked, it is sliced into rounds that show a cross-section of the filling set inside the meat. The dish is reported as an Indonesian holiday staple, appearing on tables during Christmas and other special occasions. Accounts link it to the colonial era and to gevulde kip, a Dutch stuffed chicken dish, suggesting the two are related through the culinary exchange of that period. To prepare it, the chicken is carefully boned so the skin stays intact as a pocket, which is then packed with a filling of minced chicken or beef, mixed with ingredients such as chopped vegetables, sausage and sometimes egg, bread and spices. The stuffed bird is reshaped back into its whole form, then either steamed and afterward fried, or baked until browned, before being rested and sliced. The filling and finishing vary by household: some cooks bind it mostly with minced chicken, others favor beef or a mix of the two, and vegetables such as carrot, potato or peas are added or left out depending on taste. Some kitchens steam the chicken fully before a short fry for color, while others roast it from the start; both approaches aim for a firm, sliceable filling once the bird cools slightly.