Name: Malaysian chicken curry
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 4 each golden shallots, garlic cloves and long red chillies, coarsely chopped; 20 gm (4cm piece) ginger, coarsely chopped; 1½ tbsp vegetable oil; 1 onion, thinly sliced; 4 tsp ground cardamom; 1½ tsp ground turmeric; 8 chicken thigh fillets, cut into strips; 400 ml coconut milk; 1 fresh curry leaf sprig (see note); 1 lemongrass stalk, bruised; 1 each cinnamon quill and star anise; 1½ tbsp soft palm sugar, or to taste; To serve: fried shallots (see note) and lime wedges; Coconut rice; 400 ml coconut milk; 1 lemongrass stalk, bruised; ½ tsp each cumin seeds and coriander seeds, cracked in a mortar and pestle; 400 gm jasmine rice, rinsed

Ingredients

4 each golden shallots, garlic cloves and long red chillies, coarsely chopped

20 gm (4cm piece) ginger, coarsely chopped

1½ tbsp vegetable oil

1 onion, thinly sliced

4 tsp ground cardamom

1½ tsp ground turmeric

8 chicken thigh fillets, cut into strips

400 ml coconut milk

1 fresh curry leaf sprig (see note)

1 lemongrass stalk, bruised

1 each cinnamon quill and star anise

1½ tbsp soft palm sugar, or to taste

To serve: fried shallots (see note) and lime wedges

Coconut rice

400 ml coconut milk

1 lemongrass stalk, bruised

½ tsp each cumin seeds and coriander seeds, cracked in a mortar and pestle

400 gm jasmine rice, rinsed

Method

Main

1.Process shallot, garlic, chilli and ginger in a food processor until finely chopped. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add chilli mixture, stir occasionally until fragrant (2 minutes). Add onion and spices, stir for 2 minutes, add chicken, stir to coat well. Add coconut milk, curry leaf sprig, lemongrass, cinnamon, star anise and 100ml water and simmer until chicken is tender (20 minutes). Season to taste with palm sugar and sea salt.

2.Meanwhile, for coconut rice, simmer coconut milk, lemongrass, spices and 200ml water in a saucepan over medium-high heat, add rice and bring to the simmer, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until rice is tender and liquid absorbed (15-20 minutes). Remove from heat, stand for 5 minutes and serve with hot chicken curry, scattered with fried shallots, with lime wedges.