Gulai Ayam Padang - Padang Chicken Curry

Method5 steps · about 1 hr 30 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Prepare spice paste: Use a food processor or a mortar and pestle to grind garlic (3 cloves), shallot, red chilies, ginger (1-inch piece), galangal (2-inch piece), and candlenuts (5) into a smooth paste.

   Uses 3 cloves garlic · 150 gram (5 oz) shallots · 50 gram (1.5 oz) red chilies (Note 1) · 1-inch piece ginger · 2-inch piece galangal · 5 candlenuts (Indonesian: kemiri) (Note 2)

2. 2

   Step 2: Sauté spices and aromatics: Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok over medium heat and sauté spice paste, bruised lemongrass (3), kaffir lime leaves (7), cinnamon, smashed cardamom (3), cloves (6), star anise (½), coriander, cumin (½ teaspoon), and turmeric (½ teaspoon). Stir until fragrant, about 5 minutes.

   Fry chicken-curry paste and whole spices · 5 minUses smooth six-food chicken-curry spice paste · 2 tablespoon cooking oil · 3 lemongrass stalks, bruised and chopped · 7 kaffir lime leaves (Indonesian: daun jeruk) · 1 cinnamon stick (Indonesian: kayu manis) · 3 cardamom (Indonesian: kapulaga), crushed · 6 whole cloves (cengkeh) · ½ star anise (Indonesian: bunga pekak/bunga lawang)

3. 3

   Step 3: Add the cut chicken (1) and stir to coat with the fried paste and aromatics. Cook until the outside changes colour; it will finish cooking in the following simmering stages.

   Uses fried curry paste and whole aromatics · 1 whole chicken, cut into 8–12 pieces

4. 4

   Step 4: Add the measured 50 g coconut palm sugar, 2 tsp salt, 5 g tamarind pulp and 750 ml water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for about 30 minutes until the chicken is tender.

   Simmer Chicken Curry · 30 minUses surface-cooked chicken coated with curry paste · 50 gram (1/4 cup) coconut palm sugar (Indonesian: gula Jawa) · 2 teaspoon salt · 5 gram (1 teaspoon) tamarind pulp (Indonesian: asam Jawa) · 750 ml (3 cup) water

5. 5

   Step 5: Stir in 200 ml coconut milk and gently simmer for another 15 minutes, until the chicken is tender and reaches 74°C/165°F away from bone. Turn off the heat and serve with optional ready steamed white rice.

   Simmer with Coconut Milk · 15 minUses tender chicken in seasoned tamarind curry broth · 200 ml (1/2 can) coconut milk · Ready steamed white rice to serve (optional, quantity unspecified)