Chicken Curry Recipe

Chicken Curry Recipe

(Nyonya Recipe)

1.5 kg (3 lbs) chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces

3 tablespoons light soy sauce

3 tablespoons meat curry powder

565 g (1 lb) grated coconut

1.3 liters (42 fl oz) water

180 ml (6 fl oz) cooking oil

7.5 cm (3 inch) cinnamon stick

2 sprigs curry leaves

2 star anise

5 cm (2 inch) ginger, peeled and cut into thin strips

55 g (2 oz) meat curry powder, blended with 85 ml (2½ fl oz) water into a paste

4 potatoes, peeled and quartered

2¾ teaspoons salt

Finely ground paste:

6 dried chilies, soaked in water to soften and drained (optional)

22 shallots, peeled

6 cloves garlic, peeled

2 teaspoons crushed dried shrimp paste

Method:

Marinate the chicken in soy sauce and curry powder for 30 minutes.  Combine the grated coconut with 300 ml (10 fl oz) water and squeeze out 300 ml (10 fl oz) thick coconut milk.  Set aside the thick milk.  Add remaining water to the grated coconut and squeeze out 1 liter (32 fl oz) thin coconut milk.  Set aside the thin milk.  Heat the cooking oil in a pot and fry cinnamon stick, curry leaves and star anise.  Add ginger and finely ground paste and fry until fragrant.  Add the curry paste and fry until aromatic.  Add the marinated chicken and fry for 4 minutes on low heat to prevent curry paste from burning.  Add potatoes and thin coconut milk.  Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.  Add thick coconut milk and season with salt.  Allow to boil for 3 minutes, stirring to prevent curdling.  Remove from the heat.  Serve with rice.

Note:  There are many varieties of potatoes, each with different cooking times.  If the potatoes cook before the chicken, remove them and return to the pot only when chicken is tender.