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Geoff’s Malaysian Chicken Curry

As usual, the difference between the thousands of curries around the world is partly technique and partly the spice blend. Malaysian Curry Powder is unique and easy to find and really differentiates this from other regional dishes. Did you know that the original chicken, the jungle fowl, came from around this region? It’s only fitting therefore, that with respect for the place of origin, we only use the best chicken for this recipe?

Ingredients:

• 1.6-1.8 kg whole  Laionica chicken cut into 8 pieces
• 5 tbsp Malaysian curry powder
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 1 can coconut milk + 2 cups water
• 2 potatoes cut into 4 cm cubes
• Salt
• 200 g tinned chopped tomatoes
• 1-2 fresh chillies
• 2 large onions sliced
• 8 cloves garlic
• 4 cm fresh ginger, sliced

OPTIONAL (These are optional but I always add them)

• 2 star anise
• 2 cm piece cinnamon or cassia bark
• 1 bruised lemongrass
• 4 bruised cardamon pods
•  10 curry leaves

Using a mortar and pestle, or blender, grind the onion, garlic chilli and ginger into a paste.
In a wok or pot, heat the oil on high heat, add the paste and the optional ingredients and stir fry until translucent and fragrant. Add curry powder, reduce heat to low and fry until quite toasted and oil starts to ooze from the paste, don’t burn.
Add the chicken, bring the heat up to medium/high, stir to coat chicken in the paste. Add the tomatoes and cook for a further 3 minutes, stirring.
Add coconut milk and water, season with salt and stir well. Gradually bring to the boil then reduce the heat to medium. Simmer covered for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally
Add potatoes, simmer uncovered for about 10-15 minutes until potatoes are cooked and the chicken is tender.

Turn off the heat, skim off the excess oil, and serve with steamed rice. Please note, that not everybody skims off the oil. There is a lot of flavour in it…. A lot of calories too, but you have to weigh that up for yourself.