Name: Spicy Malaysian chicken curry
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 85 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 10 chicken thigh fillets, skin on; 1 1/2 Tbsp Malaysian meat curry powder; 2 Tbsp coconut oil; 1/3 cup light soy sauce; 1/3 cup grapeseed oil; 2 carrots, peeled, roughly chopped; 2 kipfler potatoes, peeled, chopped; 1 cinnamon stick; 1 star anise; 4 curry leaf sprigs, plus extra leaves, to serve; 1 1/2 Tbsp brown sugar; 1 Tbsp salt flakes; 400ml coconut milk; 1/2 large cauliflower, broken into florets; Roti, to serve; MALAYSIAN CHILLI CURRY PASTE; 2 1/2 Tbsp Malaysian meat curry powder; 2 tsp ground turmeric; 2 large tomatoes, diced; 6 red shallots, roughly chopped; 1 stick lemongrass, chopped; 8cm piece of ginger, roughly chopped; 6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped; 3 long red chillies, roughly chopped; 2 bird’s eye red chillies; 80g macadamia nuts; 1/4 cup grapeseed oil

Blend up your own spice paste to make a curry that tastes and smells infinitely more complex.

Malaysian curry, often known for its rich and diverse flavours, differs from other curry varieties because of its use of ingredients and spices, reflecting the multicultural influences present in Malaysian cuisine. Here are some key distinctions:

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Ingredients: Malaysian curry commonly incorporates coconut milk, lemongrass, galangal, turmeric, garlic, shallots, ginger, and aromatic spices like cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom.
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Spice level: Malaysian curry tends to have a moderate level of spiciness compared to some other Asian curries.
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Texture: Malaysian curry sauces are often thickened with coconut milk, resulting in a creamy and rich texture. This distinguishes Malaysian curry from other varieties using different bases, such as broth or yoghurt.
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Variety: Malaysian cuisine is incredibly diverse, so there are many regional variations of curry throughout the country.
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How make spicy Malaysian chicken curry

Ingredients

10 chicken thigh fillets, skin on

1 1/2 Tbsp Malaysian meat curry powder

2 Tbsp coconut oil

1/3 cup light soy sauce

1/3 cup grapeseed oil

2 carrots, peeled, roughly chopped

2 kipfler potatoes, peeled, chopped

1 cinnamon stick

1 star anise

4 curry leaf sprigs, plus extra leaves, to serve

1 1/2 Tbsp brown sugar

1 Tbsp salt flakes

400ml coconut milk

1/2 large cauliflower, broken into florets

Roti, to serve

MALAYSIAN CHILLI CURRY PASTE

2 1/2 Tbsp Malaysian meat curry powder

2 tsp ground turmeric

2 large tomatoes, diced

6 red shallots, roughly chopped

1 stick lemongrass, chopped

8cm piece of ginger, roughly chopped

6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

3 long red chillies, roughly chopped

2 bird’s eye red chillies

80g macadamia nuts

1/4 cup grapeseed oil

Method

On a plate, toss chicken in curry powder. In a large, heavy-based frying pan, heat coconut oil on high. Cook chicken, skin side down, for 3-4 minutes until brown. Turn and cook for a further 3-4 minutes until browned on both sides. Transfer to a tray and drizzle with soy sauce. Set aside for 15 minutes to marinate.

Meanwhile, to make Curry paste, add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.

Heat grapeseed oil in a large, wide, heavy-based saucepan on medium-high heat. Add paste and cook for 3 minutes, stirring, until fragrant and colour darkens.

As paste starts to dry out and begins to stick, add chicken, carrot and potato, stirring to coat. Add cinnamon, star anise, curry leaves, sugar, salt, coconut milk and cauliflower. Add enough water to just cover and bring to a simmer on high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 45 minutes until chicken is cooked through and sauce has reduced and started to split.

Remove star anise and cinnamon stick. Serve curry with warmed roti and extra curry leaves.

Karen Martini Chef

Melbourne chef, restaurateur and food writer Karen Martini has been cooking professionally for more than 20 years. A passionate ambassador for Ovarian Cancer Research, Karen aims to build the awareness of the silent killer that is often misdiagnosed.

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How make spicy Malaysian chicken curry

Ingredients

Method

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