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Kapitan chicken curry

A hot, pungent, creamy curry perfect for a Saturday night in and streets ahead of your local takeaway.

Ingredients:

  • 4 chicken legs, skin on
  • 1 tbsp ground turmeric
  • 1 tsp salt, or to taste
  • 4 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 onions, sliced
  • 400ml/14oz thick coconut milk
  • 4-6 young lime leaves, finely shredded
  • 1 tbsp palm sugar (or brown sugar)
  • 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
  • for the spice paste
  • 350g/13oz shallots, roughly chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh root ginger
  • 1 small ginger flower, chopped (optional, available from some specialist asian grocers)
  • 1 tsp chopped galangal
  • 1 tsp chopped turmeric root
  • 4-6 candlenuts or macadamia nuts
  • 2 stalks lemongrass, tough outer leaves removed, soft inner stem roughly chopped
  • 2 fresh red chillies, roughly chopped
  • 1 dried red chilli, broken up
  • 1 tsp blachan (shrimp paste), lightly fried until fragrant
  • vegetable oil, for deep frying
  • 10 shallots, sliced
  • mint leaves
  • 1 red chilli, sliced
  • 1 cucumber, sliced
  • steamed rice, to serve

Directions:

  • For the chicken, place the chicken legs into a shallow dish and sprinkle over the turmeric and salt. Cover and chill in the fridge overnight, to marinate.
  • Remove the marinated chicken from the fridge half an hour before you are ready to cook it.
  • Meanwhile, for the spice paste, blend all of the spice paste ingredients in a food processor until smooth.
  • To cook the chicken, heat a large frying pan over a high heat, add three tablespoons of the oil and, when it is smoking, add the chicken. Fry the chicken for 4-6 minutes, or until golden-brown on all sides.
  • Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside to drain on a plate lined with kitchen paper.
  • Heat a wok over a medium heat, then add the remaining vegetable oil, the onion and the spice paste and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes, or until fragrant.
  • Add the reserved chicken and cook for 5-7 minutes.
  • Add the coconut milk, lime leaves and sugar. Simmer for 25-30 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
  • Add the lime juice and stir well.
  • For the garnish, half-fill a deep, heavy-based saucepan with vegetable oil and heat until a breadcrumb sizzles and turns golden-brown when dropped into it. (CAUTION: Hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.)
  • Fry the shallot slices until crisp, then carefully remove from the pan using a slotted spoon and set aside to drain on a plate lined with kitchen paper.
  • To serve, spoon the curry into four serving bowls. Sprinkle with the crispy shallots, mint leaves, red chillies and cucumber slices. Serve the steamed rice alongside.