Dry chicken curry

This is the dry chicken curry that is available in the local mamak restaurants. It is best eaten with roti paratha or toast and use your hands because it is finger licking good.

Candlenuts are called buah keras in Malay. It is a relative of Macadamia nuts and resembles them in appearance and texture. Candlenuts are so named because they were used to make candles. They are never eaten raw, because of their slight toxicity and laxative effect, as evidenced by their bitterness, which is neutralized by cooking. They are pounded or ground into a paste before being added to curries, stews, or gravies to act as a thickener and binder, and to give the dish a creamy texture. Candlenuts go rancid very quickly and must be used as soon as possible, and kept in the refrigerator or freezer.

Ingredients

½ a chicken cut into bite size pieces

2 medium size potatoes (optional)

12 shallots

8 pips of garlic

A small knob of ginger

2 buah keras

1 small piece of cinnamon bark

A few sprigs of curry leaves

1 tsp mustard seeds

Cut the shallots, ginger and garlic into very small pieces so that it is easier to pound

Put into a mortar and pound coarsely

Heat up the oil and fry the mustard seeds for about a minute

Add the curry leaves and cinnamon bark.

Fry on low fire until it is fragrant

Add the pounded ingredients

Mix thoroughly and fry until fragrant

Add the chicken and stir until it is coated by the paste

Cover to allow the chicken to release its juices

Add 2 tbsp chilli powder and 1 tbsp meat curry powder

Mix thoroughly and add a little water if it looks like it is starting to burn

Cut the potatoes and add to the curry

Cover and cook on low fire until chicken and potatoes are cooked.

Don’t forget to stir occasionally to prevent it burning.