Nyonya Kari Kay [Curry Chicken]

There are many versions of curry chicken with a wide variation in  ingredients and seasoning.  Each has its own taste and flavour depending on the cook.   In my home, we cook curries almost every week.  My mum cooks most of her curries using fresh curry paste easily available at almost all wet markets in Penang island [see post].  You just need to tell the vendor which curry you would like to prepare.  Sometimes they will tell you what other spice condiments to add to make the curries more flavourful and aromatic.  Thus, in Penang cooking curries at home is a breeze with the availability of these fresh curry paste.

However, when I have the time, I prefer to prepare my own curry paste according to my preference and I know what goes into the paste.  We prefer spicier and more aromatic curries.  Here, I have prepared the Nyonya style curry chicken paste which is much more spicier than those available in the wet markets.  

This curry is spicy, aromatic, thick and very tasty with rice.  Just for information, this curry is extremely spicy because I used the hottest species of dried red chillies.

Ingredients
[adapted from Nyonya Flavours with some modifications]
Curry Paste [Ingredients blended in processor]
15 gm [7-8] dried chillies - soaked and drained [I used more here]
100 gm [10] shallots
3-4 cloves garlic
2 candlenuts [buah keras] -  optional
10 gm toasted belacan
1 tsp tumeric powder
1 tsp fennel powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1-2 tbsp coriander powder

750 gm meaty chicken [chicken thighs] - cut bite size pieces [I removed the skin]

1 large potato - peeled and cut wedges [I used US Russet potato]
200 ml thin coconut milk
50 ml thick coconut milk
1/2 tbsp salt to taste
1 tsp sugar to taste
1 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
2 cloves
3 tbsp oil

1. Blend dried chillies, shallots, garlic, candlenuts with belacan in a blender until fine.  Then mix with the powdered ingredients.  Set aside.
2. Heat oil over medium low heat to saute star anise, cinnamon stick and cloves until aromatic.  Add in prepared curry paste.  Stir fry until oil separates.
3. Add in chicken, fry for a minute, then add in potatoes.  Stir to coat well with the curry paste for 1-2 minutes.  Pour in the thin coconut milk.  Add in seasoning [salt and sugar] to taste.
4. Bring it to a boil and continue to cool until chicken and potatoes are tender.
5. Lastly add in the thick coconut milk and cook until gravy is slightly thick.
6. Serve with plain white rice or Nasi Kunyit [Tumeric Rice] or Roti Jala.
   
   
   
   
   

This post is linked to the event,  Little Thumbs Up [June 2013 - Curry Paste/Powder] organised by Zoe [Bake for Happy Kids] and Mui Mui [My Little Favourite DIY] and hosted by Miss B of Everybody Eats Well in Flanders

I'm also submitting this to  Malaysian Food Fest [June 2013] - Penang hosted by Alan of Travellingfoodie

I'm also linking this post to Cook your Books #1 Event hosted by Kitchen Flavours