Singaporean curry chicken

This chicken curry recipe from Liao Yong Jia, chef de cuisine of Shangri-La Singapore, uses a blend of spices and aromatics as well as curry powder to create a depth of flavour that belies its down-to-earth appearance.

Credit: Shangri-La Singapore

• serves

  4

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  45 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 1 kg boneless chicken thighs
• ½ cup (60 g) curry powder (see note)
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 40 g onion, blended
• 1½ tsp ginger paste
• 1½ tsp garlic paste
• 1½ tsp galangal paste
• 45 g dried chilies paste (see note)
• 2 tbsp (50 g) lemongrass paste
• 3 sprigs curry leaves, leaves removed from the stem
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 2 cups (500 ml) water
• 2 medium potatoes
• 1 tbsp chicken bouillon powder
• 2½ tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 185 g coconut cream
• Crusty bread or steamed rice, to serve

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, toss the chicken with 3 tablespoons of the curry powder and set aside to marinate slightly.
   
2. Heat the oil to a large saucepan over medium heat. Once hot, add the onions, ginger, and garlic. Sauté for a minute or two, until fragrant. Once fragrant, add the galangal paste, dried chilli, curry powder, curry leaf, turmeric powder. Stir well to combine curry powder with the onions.
   
3. Continue cooking over low heat, stirring continuously for about 5 minutes so as not to burn the curry powder. You should start to get a dark curry paste forming. Add the chicken pieces and stir with the curry paste to evenly coat the chicken. Then add the water and turn up the heat to let it come to a boil.
   
4. Once the water comes to the boil, add the potatoes, chicken bouillon powder and stir to incorporate well. Turn the heat down to a simmer and cover the pot with a lid. Let this simmer for a further 30 minutes, or until chicken and tender.
   
5. At the 25-minute mark, taste, and add the sugar and salt to your liking. Gently stir through the coconut cream and continue to cook over a low heat, making sure that the coconut cream does not curdle. Once curry comes back to a boil, remove from the heat. Serve hot with toasted crusty bread or steamed rice on the side.

Note:

• It is important to use a curry powder that's blended for chicken or meat. Curry powders blended for seafood or vegetables have a different ratio of spices and aromatics, and will change the flavour of the final dish.

• Cut the tops off dried chillies and carefully tap to remove the seeds. Soak the chillies in warm water until they soften, then drain well and blend to a smooth paste using a blender or immersion blender.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.