Indonesian Chicken Curry Recipe (Gulai Ayam)

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May 01, 2014Indonesian Chicken Curry Recipe (Gulai Ayam)

I have a tendency of preparing a chicken supper on Sundays. Sometimes it’s a roast chicken but last weekend, I hankered for a curry that we ate in Penang, Malaysia earlier this year. It was a Sunday when we wandered into a locals only spot for a lunch of chicken curry and roti (flatbread). The male Muslim cooks were hospitable and kind; they took pride in their craft. Their curry was well spiced but light on the palate, which meant it was perfect for the slightly greasy flatbread to soak up. The meal lingered in our minds long after we left Penang.

We got satisfaction a few weeks later with this chicken curry recipe published in a Saveur article by my friend Christopher Tan. He obtained the recipe from a West Sumatran Padang-style rice plate restaurant in Jakarta. I looked at his recipe and figured it was very similar to what we had in Penang. Culinary ideas flow easily through that part of the world, as Chris pointed out in “Spice World”, there are nasi padang restaurants in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore (where he lives).

I made the recipe soon after I saw it. It was richer and more sophisticated than the version we had in Penang, which was fine because we had it with rice instead of rich roti. The spices weren’t finely ground and lent nice texture to the sauce. I imagine that the Penang cooks used a pre-ground mixture of spices. My husband and I enjoyed the curry for days as one batch makes enough for several meals. 

Kaffir (makrut) lime leaf, knotted lemongrass, and candlenutsAim for a vibrant orange oatmeal-like paste.

Last week, Saveur editor-in-chief James Oseland called to catch up. He’s expert on the foods of that region, having written Cradle of Flavor. Among the things we chatted about was how good this curry is. No wonder leading up to Sunday, I had gulai ayam on my mind.

I gathered up the ingredients from my pantry and garden for another delectable batch. The list of ingredients is long but the paste comes together in minutes in a food processor. I’ve made this in an hour from top to bottom, including the rest at the end. Go for it! Maybe work it into your Sunday night rotation?

Notes: I’ve modified the recipe by using chicken legs and skinning them. The skin is better saved for rendering schmaltz or discarded. Stewed chicken skin is unappealing. I opted for football-shaped coriander seed but you can use the regular round ones. One can of coconut milk worked well for my palate.

If you don’t have the lime leaves, omit them. A comment on the original recipe at Saveur said it was fine. I’d double up on the lemongrass, or add galangal if a Kaffir lime tree wasn’t right outside my door or I didn’t have a stash in the freezer. Use all Thai chiles or combine Fresno with Thai for less heat.

Candlenuts (sold at Chinese markets in the Indonesian section) thicken the sauce so make sure you use them or the macadamia nut sub. As for knotting up the lemongrass, see James’s tip in this video. You can opt for cutting it into short lengths and whacking it.

Leftovers keep exceptionally well for days. Along with rice, we’ve had this Indonesian chicken curry with tortillas (whole wheat ones are nice) as well as Middle Eastern flatbread. French bread would be terrific too.

RECIPE

Indonesian Chicken Curry Recipe

Gulai Ayam

Yields: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

8 chicken drumsticks or thighs, or a mix of both (a good 3 lb / 1.5 kg total)2 teaspoon coriander seeds1 teaspoon cumin seeds1 teaspoon fennel seeds1 teaspoon grated nutmeg1 teaspoon ground turmeric½ teaspoon whole cloves¼ teaspoon cardamom seeds10 red Thai chiles, or 3 Fresno chiles plus 2 or 3 red Thai chiles, stemmed and roughly chopped5 large candlenuts or macadamia nuts4 cloves garlic, peeled1 medium shallot, peeled and quarteredChubby 2-inch (5 cm) piece ginger, peeled and sliced3 tablespoons canola or peanut oil (I used semi-refined Lion and Globe)5 or 6 kaffir (makrut) lime leaves2 sticks cinnamon1 fat stalk lemongrass, trimmed and knotted1 (13.5 oz / 400 ml) can coconut milk3/4 teaspoon salt

Method

Remove the skin from the chicken pieces. With the drumsticks, either cut the skin close to the knee joint to easily pull off the skin; or use a cleaver to whack off the knee joint, then remove the skin. Set aside.Put the coriander, cumin, fennel, nutmeg, turmeric, cloves, cardamom into a food processor. Whirl to grind up a bit. Add the chiles, candlenuts, garlic, shallots, ginger, and 2 tablespoons of water. Process into an oatmeal-like paste. It won’t be perfectly smooth.Heat the oil in a large saute pan or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the paste, lime leaves, cinnamon, and lemongrass until fragrant and no longer raw smelling, 5 to 7 minutes.Add the chicken, turning to sear the pieces a little on the outside, 4 to 5 minutes. You don’t have to brown it. Add half of the coconut milk and enough water to cover the chicken three-quarter of the way up. Let cook, turning occasionally, for 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through; pierce with a knife tip to check.Stir in the remaining coconut milk and salt. Cook until slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes longer. Remove from the heat and let cool, uncovered, for about 15 minutes for the flavors to meld and mellow. Taste to see if extra salt is needed. Enjoy with rice or whatever starch you’d like.  The lemongrass, cinnamon, and lime leaf are not edible.

Recipe adapted from Saveur.

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Thai Yellow Curry with Beef and PotatoesVietnamese Goat Curry with Coriander and LemongrassHow to Cook Perfect RicePosted in Recipes: All, Recipes: Chicken, Duck, Poultry, Eggs, Recipes: Gluten-Free | Permalink

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Red Curry Shrimp Dumplings

I love shrimp and all sorts of Chinese dumplings made with shrimp, for example: har gow, shrimp and chive dumplings, etc. However, whenever I make dumplings, I have always made them the traditional Chinese way. I chanced upon a Thai-flavored red curry shrimp dumpling recipe in one of the food magazines a while ago and that left a lasting impression. I love Thai food and always enjoy the exotic flavors of spices and heat of chilies, so these red curry shrimp dumplings immediately won my heart—and stomach—over. There is nothing not to love about them: briny shrimp with a tint of heat, aroma, and spices from the red curry paste. The use of fish sauce adds extra umami to the already delicious shrimp filling, and the chopped cilantro leaves complete the whole package as some of the best shrimp dumplings I have had.

There are a few brands of Thai red curry paste available in the market here in the US. Both Mae Ploy and Maesri brand are good, and I like them both. But if I had a choice, I would always buy Maesri because they have a smaller 4 oz can which is economical and you don’t have to buy a big tub and end up using only some of it. For the shape of the dumplings, you can make them into a half-moon shape, which is the easiest way of making dumplings, but I took the effort to make them into a parcel, which is not that much harder to make. They just look prettier and neat. Regardless of the shape, they are still tasty and mouthwatering.

For the cooking part, I simply boiled the red curry shrimp dumplings and eat them. You can also pan-fry or steam them if you like. Dumplings are so versatile and a pan-fried version or steamed version will be different in texture from the boiled dumplings. Ultimately, how you want to cook them is up to you, but be rest assured, they are always scrumptious whichever you serve them.

Here is my red curry shrimp dumpling recipe. They can be made ahead, and you can freeze them if you like. Before cooking, just thaw them at room temperature. Enjoy!

(Click Page 2 for the Red Curry Shrimp Dumplings Recipe)

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Malaysian Chicken Curry

It’s officially winter now in the United States, I am sure many people are bundling up at home and cooking, instead of out and about in the frigid cold weather. I am lucky that I am in Southern California where winter is mild, in fact, this year there is no real winter here. However, being an island girl from the forever tropical Penang island, Malaysia, I feel cold whenever the temperature dips below 60.

Whenever I feel that I need to warm up, I make dishes that warms up my body, for examples: soups, stews, one-pot meals such as Japanese hot pot,  and curries. I especially love curries because they are so easy to make and I can just make a big pot and eat the whole day and I might still have some leftover the next day, which taste even better as the flavors develop overnight. Curries are so delicious, great with steamed rice, and heats up my body right away. Plus the smell of curries wafting through the kitchen is enough to set my stomach rumbling, and my mouth watering.

There are countless ways of making Malaysian-style chicken curries and there are various recipes: devil’s curry, chicken curry kapitan, Nyonya-style chicken curry, etc. However, this Malaysian chicken curry recipe is very easy chicken curry that you can make with easy-to-find ingredients. For curry powder, I always buy the curry powder packets from Malaysia, brands such as Baba’s meat curry powder or Alagappa curry powder (made in Penang). They are fantastic, cheap and you can use them for a long time.

Without further ado, this is my homey Malaysian chicken curry which is really easy to make. Make a big pot today and share it with your family and friends. Enjoy!

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Sweet Potato with Ginger and Curry Leaf Recipe

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November 26, 2013Sweet Potato with Ginger and Curry Leaf Recipe

My mom loves sweet potatoes but doesn’t care for mashed potatoes. For that reason, during the holidays, I focus attention on a sweet potato dish. Rest assured, there will be other carbs on the menu, most likely noodles and/or rice.

The tofurkey adventure last week allowed me to try out an easy sweet potato on my husband before I presented it to my mom. I adore sweet potatoes for their natural sweetness, which is best coaxed out via baking. Roasted in their jackets (skin on) sweet potatoes are favorite snack in many parts of Asia. In Vietnam, they’re also enjoyed fried into fritters with shrimp (banh tom) and in sweet soups (che).

For this side dish, I bought garnet sweet potatoes, selecting ones that were roughly the same size so they all cooked at the same rate. I baked them in moderately high heat and refrigerated them for a few days. Then I cut them up into big chunks and quickly sauteed them in fragrant virgin coconut oil, curry leaf from the garden and finely chopped ginger. A light sprinkling of coarse Maldon salt added a savory-sweet punch.

It was a cinch. Once the potatoes were cooked, they held in the fridge – which firms them up and makes them much easier to handle. The only dramatic part was the curry leaf, which spit and popped in the hot wok. That is its nature. If you don’t have curry leaf (sold at Indian markets), ginger alone will do; or, add a little chopped cilantro at the end for spark.

What’s with virgin coconut oil? It lends a tropical note to food. My mother has a super soft spot for coconut-laden foods and coconut oil embodies that in fragrance and taste. A small amount was all I needed. Virgin coconut oil is sold at many health food markets but I bought mine at Trader Joe’s. The refined coconut oil doesn’t have a coconut taste, which is great for all-purpose cooking. Here, I wanted coconut essence.

Recipe

Sweet Potato with Ginger and Curry Leaf

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

2 large sweet potatoes, each about 1 pound (450 g) and similarly shaped Rounded 1 tablespoon virgin coconut oil1 branch curry leaf (optional)1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh gingerMaldon or other coarse salt

Instructions:

Wash the sweet potatoes, trim their ends, then put them on a parchment lined baking sheet. Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 425F (220C / mark 7). Bake for about 1 hour until they feel just tender in the middle when poked with a fork; baking depends on the shape of the sweet potato. There will be stuff oozing out of the ends. Set aside and cool completely. Refrigerate up to 3 days. These firm up during chilling so it’s good to work in advance.Cut the sweet potatoes into 1-inch (2.5-cm) chunks. If the skin falls off, discard those pieces. Otherwise leave them for texture.In a large skillet or wok, heat half of the coconut oil over medium heat. Add half of the curry leaves and ginger. Lower the heat to sizzle and become aromatic. When the curry leaf starts popping, add half of the sweet potato. Raise the heat to medium-high or high, then cook to coat with seasonings and warm through. Transfer to a serving dish and repeat with the remaining ingredients. Sprinkle with Maldon salt and serve.

What is your favorite easy way to eat sweet potatoes?

P.S. If you love sweet potatoes, check out this new booklet by Scott Hocker; he's a gifted writer and friend. The recipe collection is split between savory and sweet.

Related posts: 

Homemade Tofurkey with Miso Mustard Sauce RecipePosted in Recipes: All, Recipes: Gluten-Free , Recipes: Vegan, Recipes: Vegetable Sides and Pickles, Recipes: Vegetarian | Permalink

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Comments Sweet Potato with Ginger and Curry Leaf Recipe

My mom loves sweet potatoes but doesn’t care for mashed potatoes. For that reason, during the holidays, I focus attention on a sweet potato dish. Rest assured, there will be other carbs on the menu, most likely noodles and/or rice.

The tofurkey adventure last week allowed me to try out an easy sweet potato on my husband before I presented it to my mom. I adore sweet potatoes for their natural sweetness, which is best coaxed out via baking. Roasted in their jackets (skin on) sweet potatoes are favorite snack in many parts of Asia. In Vietnam, they’re also enjoyed fried into fritters with shrimp (banh tom) and in sweet soups (che).

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