Malaysian-Style Chicken Curry

Serves 4-6

Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

1 whole chicken, size 14, jointed

2 tbsp curry powder

Salt and pepper

Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil 

5 lime leaves

2 sticks cinnamon

3 star anise 

270ml coconut milk

270ml coconut cream

2 cups chicken stock

Salt and pepper 

Curry Paste

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp coriander seeds

1 tbsp cumin seeds

1 tsp fennel seeds

1 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp whole cloves

1 tbsp cardamom seeds

5 fresh red chillies

8 cloves garlic, peeled

6 candle nuts (optional)

4 shallots or 1 onion

1 large knob of ginger, peeled and sliced

1 bunch coriander

Coconut Rice

1 tbsp olive oil

2 cups basmati rice

1 ¼ cups chicken stock 

270ml coconut milk 

To Serve

Spring onion, thinly sliced 

Method

Joint the chicken into 8 pieces. Season the chicken with a generous pinch of salt and curry powder. Heat a large pan on medium-high heat, add olive oil and brown the chicken for 5 to 6 minutes, or until golden brown.

Add the ingredients for the curry paste to a food processor and blitz until smooth. Add a little more olive oil if the paste is too dry. 

Add olive oil to a hot pan over medium heat, fry the curry paste with the lime leaves, cinnamon and star anise until fragrant. Add the browned chicken, coconut milk, coconut cream and chicken stock. Cover and simmer for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked though and tender. 

Meanwhile, prepare the coconut rice. Add oil to a hot pan, toast the rice for a minute or so, stirring to ensure it is all coated in the oil. Add coconut milk and stock, bring the liquid to the boil then turn down to a gentle simmer. Cover with a lid. After 18 minutes, turn the heat off and let the rice sit in the pot with the lid on for 10 minutes.

Serve the curry with coconut rice and garnish with spring onion.