Ingredients:
1 oven-ready chicken, divided into 8 serving-sized pieces
2 potatoes peeled and chopped
1 tbsp lime juice (or tamarind juice)
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp vegetable oil
3 shallots, finely sliced
1 star anise
3 cloves
2 cardamom pods
1 stalk of lemongrass, bruised
2 pandan (screwpine) leaves, shredded lengthways and tied together
6 curry leaves
5 tbsp Malaysian curry powder
2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
500ml coconut milk (1 1/2 fresh coconuts will give you this)
3 tbsp grated coconut flesh, toasted until brown and pounded in a mortar
For the Spice Paste:
3 candluenuts, toasted
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp aniseed
1/8 nutmeg, freshly grated
10 red chillies
6 shallots, peeled
3 garlic cloves, peeled
1 tsp fresh turmeric, peeled and finely chopped
2 tsp fresh ginger, finely chopped
1 tsp salt
Method:
Take the chicken pieces and rub all over with the lime juice and salt. Place in a bowl and set aside for 15 minutes.
In the meantime, separately toast the candlenuts, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, aniseed and red chillies in a dry frying pan until aromatic. Turn into a bowl and set aside to cool. Combine the toasted spices with the other spice paste ingredients in a blender or food processor, add a little water and purée to a smooth paste.
Heat the vegetable oil in a wok and when hot use to stir-fry the shallots until golden brown. Stir in the spice paste. Cook for a few minutes, stirring constantly, then add the whole spices, lemongrass, pandan leaves, curry leaves, curry powder, Kashmiri chilli and the marinated chicken pieces.
Cook for a few minutes, to lightly brown the chicken then add the coconut milk and the pounded coconut flesh. Bring to a boil, add the potatoes, reduce to a simmer and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for about 45 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked and the gravy is thick and the oil has separated out.
Serve hot, accompanied by rice.
%20Recipe)
Click on the image, above to submit to Pinterest.
