Dish of Chicken Curry, Sumatra
(click to enlarge)

Chicken Curry, Sumatra


Indonesia - Sumatra   -   Gulai Ayam
Serves:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  		 4 w/rice
***
1-1/4 hrs
Yes		 This outstandingly delicious curry is simple and easy to make. It reheats well so can be made ahead. This recipe could be extended by adding some pre-cooked potatoes.

1-2/3
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4
4
3
3
3
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2
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1/4
10
2
1/4
2-1/2
1/2
2
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#
---
oz

cl
oz

---
T
---
in
oz
t
t
t
t

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Chicken Meat (1)
-- Paste
Coconut Cream (2)  
Chilis dry (3)
Garlic
Onion
Candlenuts (4)
----------
Oil
-- Finish items
Galangal
Coconut Milk
Coriander Seed
Turmeric
Salt
Palm Sugar (5)
Salam Leaf (6)
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Preparing to serve dinner to a mixed couple (carni & veg), I created also a vegetarian version, Potato Curry, Sumatra which also turned out very well.

Prep   -   (35 min)
  1. Cut CHICKEN.into moderate size chunks (see Note-1).
  2. Without shaking up the can, open a 14 ounce can of Coconut Milk. Skim 4 ounces of the thick cream off the top for the paste. Reserve the rest for the curry.
  3. Grind the CHILIS to powder in your spice grinder. Crush GARLIC and chop fine. Slice ONION thin and chop fine. Crush Candlenuts. Mix all together in a large mortar and pound to paste,
  4. Mix Coconut Cream into the paste until it is all even.
  5. Slice Galangal thin and mix all Finish items.
Run   -   (35 min)
  1. In a spacious sauté pan or wok, heat Oil moderately hot. Stir in Paste and fry stirring until aromatic, about 1 minute.
  2. Stir in Chicken until well coated with paste and their raw color is almost gone. This is a sort of hot marinade.
  3. Stir in Finish mix. Simmer over moderate flame, uncovered, stirring often, until sauce is reduced by about 1/3. Caution: the sauce will look a lot more liquid when simmering than it actually is, so don't over-do it. Cover and simmer slowly until chicken is tender, about 1/2 hour total.
  4. Serve hot with plenty of steamed jasmine rice.
NOTES:

  1. Chicken:

      Weight is skinless / boneless. Thighs and leg meat should be used rather than breast for much better flavor and texture. The pattern recipe calls for a 3-1/2 pound chicken cut into serving pieces, but that's more of a serving problem.

  2. Coconut Cream:

      No, you don't have to open a whole can - see instruction step 2. A good quality Thai coconut milk like Aroy-D will have enough cream.

  3. Chilis:

      Thai or de Arbols are good. Four makes a satisfyingly hot curry by Southern California standards, or use Japones for less heat - use you own best judgement. For details see our Thai Chilis page.

  4. Candlenuts:

      If you don't have these, substitute 4 raw Macadamia Nuts or 5 raw Cashews or 9 raw almonds. For details see our Candlenut page.

  5. Palm Sugar:

      If you don't have this, substitute a lightly refined sugar like Turbinado - a little less tasty but tolerable.

  6. Salam Leaf:

      These can be found in the "Indonesian specialties" section of some large Asian markets. A package will have many sizes, but figure an average Salam Leaf is about the size of a l arge Bay Leaf, and compensate as needed. If you don't have these, you may have a problem. Curry leaves are the best substitute, but bay leaves, often suggested, are not so suitable. If that's all you have, use just one, and a half teaspoon of lime juice. For details see our Daun Salam page.
  7. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch, ar=as required tt=to taste
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