If something is a fantasy, can it be achieved or does it solidly remain in the realm of just wishing and hoping? Of all the recipes I have wanted to perfect, the chicken curry paste I make in-house is the one I attached most effort to. Like, this is my fantasy curry paste.
Despite making up a recipe and writing it down on pieces of paper here and there, and committing it to an e-document, I have not found the time or occasion to post it on my blog.
The reason is simple. Once I have made the paste or the chicken curry using the paste, I am already working on other things. Life takes over and then the realisation dawns that nearly 10 years have passed since I first tried to re-create the fantasy chicken curry of my childhood.
Recently Junior 3 sent me a message: Mum, do you have chicken curry/ rendang recipes on your blog? It turned out that I didn’t, so here is its latest iteration.
In my cache of photos on a previous iPad I have beautiful photos of the ingredients taken on a sunny day after a trip to the wet market in Kuala Lumpur. Those photos are locked up somewhere and I will retake fresh photos another day.
For the Paste:
25 g dried chillies (weight without seeds), 100 g soaked weight
300 g peeled shallots or red onion, cut into pieces
60g lemongrass, around 6-8 stalks of bottom bulbous part, sliced into 1 cm pieces
60 g peeled fresh ginger, sliced into 1 cm pieces
60 g peeled fresh galangal, sliced into 1 cm pieces
30 g candlenuts or macadamia nuts
20 g peeled garlic
20 g fresh turmeric or 1 teaspoon dried turmeric powder
20 g belacan or 1 x 50 g tin anchovies in oil (30 g anchovies+ 20 g oil)
200 g sunflower oil
2 tablespoons coconut sugar or dark brown soft sugar
1½ teaspoons fine sea salt
2 tablespoons tamarind paste or 4 tablespoons lime juice
I made the paste in my Thermomix. For the non-TM method please see the end of the post.
How to Make:
Rehydrate the dried chillies in hot water, then drain and cut into smaller pieces if the chillies are very long. Place the chillies in the TM bowl. Grind 10 seconds/ speed 5.
Scrape down the sides using a silicon spatula.
Add the remaining ingredients to the TM bowl. Grind 20 seconds/ speed 8.
Scrape down the sides and if necessary, grind again 10 seconds/ speed 8. You are trying to achieve a paste.
Without the cap, but with a splash guard (TM6) or a perforated metal lid placed on the cover (TM5), cook the paste for 25 minutes/ 100 C/ speed 2.
At the end of the cooking time, check if you need to add a touch more salt, sugar or lime juice.
Store the paste in sterilised glass bottles or in suitable tupperwares. The paste can be frozen very successfully.
This chicken curry paste’s partner in crime is the Sambal Sauce, also made in a Thermomix. If you make both you have the beginnings of a Nasi Lemak dinner. I will write up some notes on that soon, as Nasi Lemak is one of our family’s favourite meals.
These are the instructions I give to everyone on how to make the curry paste without a Thermomix:
1. Grind all the ingredients (except the oil) in a food processor.
2. Heat the oil (medium heat) in a large pot. Fry the paste whilst stirring continuously so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot.
3. The paste is ready when it has turned reddish-brown in colour and there is a layer of oil separating from the cooked paste.
4. Store the paste for future use, or use it to cook a chicken curry.
Brief instructions for the chicken curry:
1. This amount of paste will more than cover 1 kg of boned and skinned chicken thighs plus some potatoes. If the chicken pieces are large, cut into smaller pieces.
2. Place the curry paste in a pot and add the chicken pieces. Add a few pieces of potatoes if you wish. There is no need for any oil as the paste already has oil in it.
3. Add 1 stick of lemongrass (bashed at the bulbous bottom) and a few pieces of torn-up kaffir lime leaves.
4. Place a lid on and simmer for around 20 – 25 minutes (medium heat). There is no need to add any water as the chicken naturally releases its juices to make a sauce.
5. Check the chicken is cooked through, then add 200 g coconut milk (I use Aroy brand from Thailand).
6. Give everything a stir, check for seasoning and serve on its own with rice, or as part of a Nasi Lemak dinner.