Malaysian Chicken Curry ala Beancounter

I’ve heard somewhere before that there is no such thing as “curry powder” in India. It is more an innovation to help cooks like me who are less astute in combining spices.

Curry powder usually includes coriander, turmeric, cumin, and fenugreek. Depending on the blend, additional ingredients such as ginger, garlic, fennel seed, cinnamon, clove, mustard seed, cardamom, mace, nutmeg, and all sorts of peppers may also be added.

I’ve named my recipe as such as I find the Malaysian Curry powder blend to suit my taste the best. The recipe below is a variation to my Beef Curry recipe which I blogged about months ago.

Using a whole free range chicken makes for a tastier curry than simply using chicken breast. But if you’re horrified at the thought of bones in your curry then use de-boned chicken meat by all means.

Malaysian Chicken Curry ala Beancounter

Ingredients
2-3 cloves of garlic chopped
6 slices of ginger
1 stalk of lemon grass sliced
1 red capsicum julienned
4-6 teaspoon Malaysian curry powder (more if you want it spicier)
1 whole free range chicken cut into pieces
1 can coconut cream (substitute coconut milk if you want a less creamy sauce)
Salt to taste
Potatoes quartered and fried
Carrots
A bit of oil for sautéing

Tip: It’s best to use heavy based pots.

Procedure
1. Marinate the chicken in a little of curry powder. Heat up a bit of oil using heavy based pot. Sear the chicken pieces in the pot (a few at a time) to seal in the juices. Remove from the pot and set aside.
2. Add a bit more oil if needed. Sauté the ginger first.
3. After about a minute or so add the garlic. Before it turns completely brown add the lemon grass.
4. After another minute add the onions and the capsicum (save about a quarter for garnishing later). Cook this for about 5 minutes.
5. Add the curry powder to the mix and cook for another minute.
6. Add the chicken and the carrots to the mixture.
7. Add the coconut cream and simmer for about 40 minutes.
8. Add the potatoes and simmer for another 10 minutes.
9. Serve with roti parathas or jasmine rice.

At home – Thai Green Curry Fish

Thai curries have become a staple in my household as much as any other Filipino meal not only because of its rich and complex flavours but more so due to its uncomplicatedness in preparation and cooking.

Nothing beats fresh, of course, but when it comes to Thai curries store bought pastes actually do a decent job in creating a pretty authentic meal. What matters more is the freshness of the other ingredients rather than the curry paste.

The recipe below uses fish but you can substitute any meat of your choice. You just have to adjust the cooking time as fish cooks much quicker than meat.

The secret in making this dish is getting the freshest fish you can find. I have been disappointed so many times when buying seafood from the major supermarket chains. I suggest you go to a fishmonger you can trust. Ask them what’s the freshest of the day. Any white fleshed fish would do (snapper, cod, sweet lip, etc.)


Thai Green Curry Fish

A bit of oil
2 tablespoons green curry paste (Mae Ploy tastes best – reduce the amount if you want it less spicy)
3-4 Kaffir lime leaves (you can julienne these if you want but I prefer them whole)
1 can coconut milk (use coconut cream if you want a richer sauce)
Red capsicum
1 Zucchini cut in large wedges
2 fillets of white fleshed fish cut into large chunks
Basil leaves (as much as you like)
Fish sauce to taste
Palm sugar to taste

1. Heat a bit of oil in a pan.
2. Stir fry the green curry paste for about a minute or two until it becomes really fragrant.
3. Add the Kaffir lime leaves and stir fry for another minute.
4. Add the coconut milk and cook until it starts to break (meaning oil separating from the coconut milk).
5. Add the fish sauce and the palm sugar.
6. Lower the heat then add the fish pieces. Cover the pan and simmer for about 5 minutes.
7. Add the zucchini and the capsicum and cook until done to your liking.
8. Add the basil and cook for another minute.
9. Serve with steaming hot jasmine rice.

At home - Beef Curry

The only reason I call my beef curry Malaysian is because I use a curry powder labelled as “Malaysian Curry Powder.” I don’t think you’ll find “my style” of cooking in any Malaysian cookbook. I should have titled this post “Kidpawan’s Beef Curry Using Malaysian Curry Powder” but that’s just a bit too indulgent.

The recipe works well with other types of meat. I know because I’ve tried. You just adjust the cooking time based on the meat of your choice (chicken, for example, cooks quicker than hippopotamus).

searing meat

There are also lots of curry powders available out there that you can substitute. I just find the Malaysian one fits my taste better than the others.

sauteing veges

Malaysian Beef Curry

Ingredients

2-3 cloves of garlic chopped

6 slices of ginger

1 stalk of lemon grass sliced

1 red capsicum

4-6 teaspoon Malaysian curry powder (more if you want it spicier)

1 kilo beef (cheap cuts like brisket, chuck steak, shanks, etc.)

1 can coconut cream (substitute coconut milk if you want a less creamy sauce)

Salt to taste

Potatoes quartered and deep fried

Carrots

A bit of oil for sautéing

Tip: It’s best to use heavy based pots for cooking this.

Procedure

1. Heat up a bit of oil in a heavy based pot. Sear the meat pieces in the pan (a few at a time) to seal in the juices. Remove from the pot and set aside.
2. Add a bit more oil if needed. Sauté the ginger first.
3. After about a minute or so add the garlic. Before it turns completely brown add the lemon grass.
4. After another minute add the onions and the capsicum (save about a quarter for garnishing later). Cook this for about 5 minutes.
5. Add the curry powder to the mix and cook for about another minute.
6. Add the meat to the mixture. Make sure the meat is coated well.
7. Add the coconut cream and simmer for about 1 hour before adding the carrots.
8. After about 10 minutes add the fried potatoes and simmer for another 10 minutes.
9. Serve with roti parathas or jasmine rice.

Lunch Club - Thai Red Curry Pork

Thai curries would have to be the easiest curries to make in the world (just as long as you’re happy to use pre-packed curry pastes). It fits perfectly with Lunch Club in that it does not require a lot of preparation and long cooking time.

Usually, the curry paste packet (or bottle) has got a recipe printed on it already. For my first attempt I did follow what the packet says. I then adjusted the recipe to my taste later on.

Here’s how I do my version of this curry:

Kidpawan’s Thai Red Curry Pork

Ingredients

500-750grams of lean pork sliced thinly for quick cooking

2 tablespoons of Thai red curry paste (get the Mae Ploy brand if you can find it)

A bit of oil

3-4 Kaffir lime leaves julienned

Red capsicum (as much as you like)

1 bunch snake beans (string beans can be substituted)

Basil

A bit of palm sugar

Fish sauce to taste

Stock

Procedure

1. Heat up the wok. Add a bit of oil. Stir fry the pork pieces until they change colour. Preferably you do this in batches (depending on the size of your wok) so the meat are fried properly rather than steamed. Set this aside.
2. Add a bit more oil to the wok. Stir fry the curry paste for about a minute or two.
3. Add the pork back into the wok and stir fry for another minute.
4. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir fry. The curry is done when the beans are cooked to your liking.
5. Serve with jasmine rice.

080723 – Lunch Club – Singapore Chicken Curry (Again!)

Yes, it’s Singapore Chicken Curry again! Not that anyone is complaining (maybe there are but are just to afraid to say it to my face). It’s just that the point of Lunch Club is variety but due to our busy schedules we had to make do with what’s quick and easy to make.

Singapore chicken curry (again!)

Anyway, to vary today’s lunch we are neither having the curry with roti paratha nor jasmine rice. For a bit of a twist I have brought store bought chapattis (garlic) instead.

chappati proudly Australian made

Everybody seemed to enjoy the meal even if we’ve had it a few times already.

ready to eat chappatis

Lunch Club – Singapore Chicken Curry & Roti Paratha

I try to write about Lunch Club soon after we’ve finished lunch but last Thursday was just crazy. I didn’t find the time to do so as I had to complete some other tasks because I had to go on leave the following day. It school holidays, you see, in our part of the world. And I promise my children that I would take them out at least one weekday during their break.

Anyway, Thursday is my turn to cook. Being pressed for time and all I had to come up with some quick and tasty. I have prepared this meal once before for Lunch Club and it was a hit. The amount of effort was not an indicator of how the meal turned out.

Roti Paratha fresh out of the packet

So, on Thursday we had Singapore Chicken Curry served with Roti Paratha and/or Jasmine Rice. My friend from the Lion City has graciously provided the curry paste freshly flew in from Singapore. I have to find out where I can get this in the land down under as it will run out pretty soon. I am not heading to Singapore anytime soon to top up my supply.

Singapore Chicken Curry, Roti Paratha and the ever present cucumber salad

Here’s the recipe:

Singapore Chicken Curry

2-3 Desiree potatoes (one potato cut in 4)
3 pieces Chicken breast cut up in large pieces
2 tablespoons Singapore curry paste
1 can Coconut cream (or coconut milk if you prefer a lighter sauce)
Salt to taste
Oil whatever you prefer

Mix the curry paste and the chicken and leave for at least half an hour. While waiting fry the potatoes then set aside. Put a bit of oil in a pan and fry the chicken pieces then set aside. Remove the oil then put back the chicken pieces. Add the coconut cream. Wait for it to boil then add the fried potatoes. Let is simmer for 10-15 minutes. Voila! Best served hot on top of steaming jasmine rice or with roti paratha.