Destination
Ipoh
The story
Kari ayam is Malaysia's default chicken curry: bone-in chicken pieces slow-cooked in a curry paste (rempah) built from lemongrass, garlic, ginger, galangal, shallots, dried chillies and Malaysian curry powder, then simmered in coconut milk with cubes of potato until the meat pulls off the bone and the sauce has reduced to a thick, red-orange gravy. Served with rice, roti canai or a plate of steamed vegetables, always with a small dish of sambal on the side. Made in every Malaysian household from every ethnic tradition (Malay, Chinese-Malaysian, Indian-Malaysian all have their own versions).
Method
Drain the soaked chillies. Combine all the rempah ingredients in a food processor. Blend to a smooth paste (2 to 3 minutes), scraping down as needed. Add a splash more oil if it's too thick.
Warm the oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add the star anise, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods and curry leaves. Toast 60 seconds until fragrant.
Add the rempah paste, curry powder and turmeric. Cook 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until the paste has darkened significantly and the oil starts to separate around the edges (a Malaysian sign that the rempah is properly cooked and ready for the next ingredients).
Add the chicken pieces and salt. Toss to coat in the rempah. Cook 5 minutes, stirring, until the chicken is coated and slightly seared.
Pour in the coconut milk and water. Add the potato cubes. Bring to a gentle simmer.
Cover partially and simmer over low heat for 45 to 50 minutes, until the chicken is falling-off-the-bone tender and the potatoes are cooked through. The sauce should have reduced and thickened.
Taste. Adjust with more salt or sugar as needed. If the sauce is too thin, uncover and simmer another 10 minutes; if too thick, add a splash of water.
Ladle into wide bowls. Serve with rice or roti canai, sambal, sliced cucumber, coriander and lime wedges on the side.
Tips
- Cook the rempah until the oil separates. This is the Malaysian visual cue that the spice paste is properly cooked and its flavours have integrated. Under-cooked rempah gives you a raw-tasting curry; properly cooked rempah is deep, integrated and glossy.
- Malaysian curry powder is essential. Baba's brand meat curry powder (widely sold at Southeast Asian grocers) is what most Malaysian cooks use. Indian curry powder is not the same and gives a completely different character.
- Bone-in chicken is best. Thighs and drumsticks give the sauce more depth than boneless breast. The bones add flavour to the sauce during the long simmer.
- Full-fat coconut milk. Light coconut milk gives you a thin, watery curry. Full-fat is the right density.
- Better on day two. Like most Malaysian curries, kari ayam improves overnight as the flavours integrate. Make Saturday for a Sunday lunch; the finished dish freezes well.
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