nonya curry chicken

I just love the nasi padang dishes from Nasi Padang River Valley located at Zion Road. There was a time we even used to lug too many takeaway items for small home gatherings, asked for lots of curry sauce and reused later by adding our own chicken from the supermarket. That was a time when calories & cholesterol did not enter the calculations.

nonya curry chicken

Anyway I didn’t think I could cook curries or had any interest to, until I came across this nonya curry chicken recipe & decided to just give it a try – WTH right?

Blessed with beginner’s luck, I got it right the first time, and was able to repeat with no difficulty the second try. I still don’t cook this often, but I have done it 2 more times for the 23pax buffet on 26nov2012 & just before that a 10pax sit-down dinner on 5nov2012, and all were great & I just love the lemak & herb taste. I would be quite happy to cook this again when I need. 🙂

First I stir-fry star anise, cinnamon stick & cloves over low heat. I then add in the spice paste (ground garlic, shallots, chilli padi, coriander seeds, cumin, fennel) and stir-fry till fragrant. then in goes the curry leaves and cut chicken pieces and fry them really well. I then add water, cover with lid, and braise over low heat for 40minutes OR until chicken is cooked. After 10mins, I use a pair of tongs to pick out the chicken breasts & place them on top of the thighs, wings, drumsticks and pieces with bones so they won’t be overcooked and remain tender & juicy. 🙂 Finally I add about 100ml coconut for the lemak taste I like & a teaspoon of tumeric to give it the nice golden yellow colour. how pretty! 🙂

nonya curry chicken

nonya curry chicken

I then add sea salt and sugar to taste and serve.

c.h.e.f andy

Ingredients:

• 1 whole chicken (I use 1.4kg from Giant hypermarket OR Sheng Shiong) – cut off head, neck, feet & cut into 2in pieces
• 100ml – 150ml thick coconut milk or to taste
• 2 star anise
• 1 clove
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 4 tbsp oil
• 1 tbsp sea salt
• 1 tbsp sugar

for spice paste (ground – in my case I mince & pound them):

• 3 cloves garlic
• 10 shallots
• 2 chilli padi
• 10g coriander seeds
• 1 tsp fennel
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp tumeric powder

Directions:

1. Prepare the chicken – with a pair of kitchen scissors, cut off the head and feet. cut the body in 1/2 & the cut out the drumstick, thighs & wings along the joints. chopped the breasts & remaining portions into 2 in pieces.
2. Cook the chicken curry – stir-fry star anise, cinnamon stick & cloves over low heat. add in the spice paste and stir-fry till fragrant. add the curry leaves and cut chicken pieces and fry them really well. add water, cover with lid, and braise over low heat for 40minutes OR until chicken is cooked.
3. after 10mins, use a pair of tongs to pick out the chicken breasts & rest them above the curry liquid on pieces with bones etc so they won’t be overcooked and remain tender & juicy. add about 100ml coconut for the lemak taste & a teaspoon tumeric powder for the colour. add salt & sugar to taste. serve.