Kari Ayam (Malaysian Curry Chicken)

I still vividly remember the time when I first attempted at making the authentic Malaysian kari ayam in my home science cooking lesson at school with Mrs. D. All of us girls were quite terrified back then when we've cooking lesson with Mrs. D. She proves to be the best home science teacher in my school, I reckon for at least 2 decades. Yes, back then we've strict rules to follow when we make our kari ayam, all ingredients measured to the scale even the curry powder. Even though I had eaten kari ayam over and over, I didn't realise that there is an ingredient use to give the curry it's ''lemak'' (creamy) texture-candlenut or better known as buah keras in Malaysia. It was in the lesson I learnt and have a first look of candlenut. Of course back then all the key ingredients like coconut milk is freshly squeezed from the grated coconut and the sambal paste freshly pounded with some manual hand power. They tasted real good. Of course over here now, I try, I try to replicate as much to the original recipes except for the can of coconut milk and dry kaffir lime leave that I subject myself to. Some you know I'm a fresh ingredients freak, even no lazy garlic is allow in my cooking. :-)
And to have kari ayam with rice is consider a majestic treat for a cold winter's day.

Kari Ayam (Malaysian Curry Chicken)
Ingredients

• 1 free range chicken (roughly about 1.5 to 2 kgs)-chopped into 16 pieces-marinate with 2 tbsp of curry powder and 2 tbsp of coconut milk for an hour
• 4 big potatoes-cut into cubes-parboiled for about 5-7 minutes
• 2 tbsp curry powder-mix with 3 tbsp of coconut milk to form paste
• 1 can of coconut milk-roughly 400ml
• 6 kaffir lime leaves or better still use curry leaves
• 1 tbsp tamarind paste+5 tbsp of water-make into tamarind juice
• salt to taste
• 1-2 tbsp sugar
• 3 tbsp of vegetable oil

Paste ingredients

• 10 shallots-chopped
• 10 dried chillis - soaked in warm water for 10minutes-chopped (warning this is spicy)
• 3 red chillis-chopped
• 1 garlic bulb-chopped
• thumb size ginger-chopped
• 3 lemon grass stalks-chopped
• 3 candlenut-broken into pieces
• 1 small piece of sambal belacan

1. Use a mortar and pestle to pound the paste ingredients. I find this very therapeutic. You can use a food processor to blend them as well.
2. Heat a wok and pour in the oil, once it's hot add in the paste (1) and curry paste and let it sautéed till fragant. This takes about a minute. Add in the kaffir lime leaves/curry leaves, sautéed .
3. Add in the chicken and continue to stir fry for 2-3minutes until meat is lightly cook. Add in the parboiled potatoes and mix thoroughly. Turn the heat to low. This will ensure the coconut milk will not curdle
4. Add the coconut milk, tamarind juice, salt and sugar to taste. Stir. Close with a lid, and let it simmer on low heat for 20-25minutes.
5. Turn off heat. Served hot with rice.

Candlenut