← Nouns Cooking · Malaysian & Singaporean

Ingredients

• 1 kg chicken pieces on the bone, cut into small pieces
• 15 bird's eye chillies (cili padi), use fewer for less heat
• 4 cm piece fresh turmeric (or 1½ tsp ground), peeled
• 6 Shallot, peeled
• 3 cloves Garlic
• 2 cm piece Ginger
• 2 Lemongrass, bruised and knotted
• 400 ml Coconut milk
• 300 ml Water
• 2 Potato, peeled and cut into large chunks
• 2 Dried tamarind slices (asam keping / asam gelugur)
• 1½ tsp Salt
• ½ tsp Sugar

Method

1. Pound or blend the chillies, turmeric, shallots, garlic and ginger with a splash of water into a fine yellow paste.
2. Put the paste, chicken, lemongrass, potatoes, asam keping and water in a pot and stir well. There is no frying: this curry is simmered from the start.
3. Bring to the boil over medium heat, then simmer for 15 min, stirring now and then.
4. Pour in the coconut milk and add the salt and sugar. Simmer gently for 15–20 min, stirring often so the coconut milk does not split, until the potatoes are tender and the chicken reaches 75°C (165°F).
5. Taste for salt and sourness and serve with plenty of rice and a fried fish or omelette on the side.

Tips

• Keep the heat gentle once the coconut milk is in and stir often; a hard boil makes it curdle and turn oily.
• A torn turmeric leaf added with the coconut milk gives the true Negeri flavour if you can find one.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Nomadette Lin's Food