Damian D’Silva, Executive Chef at Folklore combined Chinese, Malay and Indian, as well as, Eurasian flavours to create this Singapore Chicken Curry dish.
Ingredients
- 2 free range chickens, cleaned and cut into 10 pcs each
- 8 kaffir lime leaves
- 1 litre coconut juice
- 1 litre coconut milk
- 200ml cooking oil (can be removed after the paste is completed)
- Salt, to taste
WET SPICES (REMPAH)
- 30 dried chillies, soaked in hot water
- 2 cups shallots, peeled, topped and tailed
- 2 red onions, peeled, topped and tailed
- 3 pcs kencur (fragrant ginger), skinned
- 3 thumb-sized galangal, skinned
- 6 lemongrass, white part only, sliced
- 20 cloves garlic, skinned
- 2 thumb-sized old ginger, skinned
- 1 thumb-sized fresh turmeric, skinned
- 10 candlenuts, soaked in water
DRY SPICES
- 6 tbsps coriander seeds, roasted till fragrant
- 2 tbsps cumin, roasted till fragrant
- 2 tbsps fennel seeds, roasted till fragrant
Steps
REMPAH
Place all ingredients in a blender or in batches, and blend till a smooth paste is achieved. Set aside.
DRY SPICES
Place all the spices in a dry grinder and grind till fine. Set aside.
Place cooking oil in a large pot over medium high heat.
When oil is hot, add the wet-spice mixture and stir continuously till paste is fragrant and oil has split from the paste. This will take between 10 and 15 mins.
Add the dry-spice mixture and continue to cook for another 5 mins. Now is a good time to remove the oil, if any.
Add chicken pieces and kaffir lime leaves and stir, making sure the spice paste coats the chicken. If the paste sticks, add some coconut juice.
Cook for 10 mins, then add the coconut juice and cook for another 10 mins.
Add the coconut milk and cook for a further 20 mins, till the oil separates.
Pierce the chicken with a sharp blade to check for doneness – juices should run clear.
Add salt, about 2 tbsps per bird. The curry should have a slightly “thickish” consistency. Serve with steamed rice, roti jala or slices of French loaf.