Kari ayam (chicken curry)

Ingredients

• 100 g medium–hot red chillies, seeded 
• 100 g red Asian shallots, roughly chopped 
• 25 g garlic cloves 
• 5 candlenuts 
• 40 g fresh turmeric, sliced 
• 15 g ginger, sliced 
• vegetable oil 
• 2 lemongrass stalks, bruised 
• 25 g galangal, roughly chopped 
• 1 litre coconut milk 
• 2 tsp ground cumin 
• 2 tsp ground coriander 
• 1 tsp fennel seeds, toasted and ground 
• 1 cinnamon stick 
• 1 tsp grated nutmeg 
• 5 cloves 
• 15 g shrimp paste, roasted and crushed 
• 1 tbsp salt 
• 75 g (⅓ cup) sugar
• 1.5 kg chicken thigh fillets, cut into bite-sized pieces 
• 500 g potatoes, peeled and quartered
• fried shallots, to serve

Instructions

Blend the chilli, shallots, garlic, candlenuts, turmeric, ginger and 2 tablespoons of oil to a smooth paste.

Heat a little more oil in a frying pan and fry the paste until it darkens in colour. Add the remaining ingredients other than the chicken, potatoes and fried shallots and bring to the boil. Add the chicken and potatoes and simmer gently until the chicken is tender and the potatoes are soft. If the sauce is too thick, thin out with a little water.

Sprinkle with fried shallots and serve.