Malaysian Coconut Curry (Kari Ayam)

Ingredients

peanut oil

200g chicken

20 shallots (or 1 big onion)

2cm ginger

3 garlic cloves

2 cloves, 1 star anise, 1 stick of cinammon bark

curry powder

water

coconut milk

red peppers

red birdseye chillies

green vegetables (I like: pak choi, otherwise zuchinni or eggplant are good choices, as are mushrooms)

limes

salt

Method

Chop up half the shallots, ginger, 2 garlic cloves, and mash them together

Add the chicken, diced; let aside to marinate (ideally for an hour)

Make the curry paste (Mix some water with the curry powder). I usually make about two heaped tablespoons of paste.

Add peanut oil to the wok and heat to a high temperature

Chop up the rest of the shallots, garlic; stir-fry until fragrant

Add the curry paste, keep stirring

Add the chicken. Stir until sealed

Add coconut milk. Reduce heat. Simmer for 20-40 mins, stirring regularly

Add a squeeze of lime juice just before serving

Variation

Chop up a banana and add to the mix after the coconut milk or throw in some slices of mango.

You could also make this a seafood curry, substituting the chicken with prawns, scallops etc (but if you do this, remember to add the seafood at the end of cooking, not at the beginning like you do for the chicken. You don't want it to be tough.)

Don't forget the golden rule of using a wok: the oil should be smoking slightly before using it, otherwise it's too cold!

Malaysian Coconut Curry