Chicken Curry with Earthen Pot Curry Powder

Ingredients:
1-1 1/2 kg Chicken, cut into pieces
4 Tbl (60ml) Veg Oil
2 Sticks (5cm) Cinnamon
2 Cloves
1 Star Anise
1/2 tsp (2 1/2g) Fennel Seeds
1 Sprig Curry Leaves (optional)
2 Potatoes, peeled and quartered
2 Tomatoes, sliced in half
6 Red Shallots, thinly sliced
5-7 Tbl Earthen Pot Curry Powder, (50-70g) add enough water to make a paste
3/4 Tbl (20g) Coconut Cream Powder, mix with half-cup (125ml) water (optional)

Pounded Ingredients:
4 Cloves Garlic
2 Onions
6 Almond, blanced
1 Thumb-size piece Ginger
2 Candlenuts (alternative:Brazil Nuts)

Method:
1. Marinate chicken with pounded ingredients for 15 min.
2. Heat oil in pan, add in cinnamon, cloves, fennel seeds, star anise, sliced shallots, cloves and curry leaves. Fry till lightly browned and fragrant.
3. Add in marinated chicken, potatoes and curry paste and stir fry briefly. Add 2 cups (500ml) water and salt to taste.
4. Stir well, cover and simmer for 25-30 min.
5. Add in coconut milk and tomatoes 10 min before removing from heat.
6. Remove from heat when chicken is tender and serve hot.

Serves 4-6.

Remarks: 02-Nov-2011 - Failure / Success ?
Nice aroma! No chilli peppers to spice it up, excellent for those craving for a curry similar to 'Hainanese Curry Rice', served with steaming aromatic jasmine rice.

HOT TIPS:

• Make cuts in the wings and thighs to allow the marinade paste to infuse the meat.

• Slow cook the spice paste, mw the potatoes (high power, 7-8 min, 2 potatoes ) until tender, test with a fork.

•  Cook the chicken briefly under high heat, then stir-fry paste-coated chicken, add the curry paste slurry and turn down heat. 

•  Simmer the curry and chicken (wings, shoulder joints, thighs) for 25 min. 

• Finally, add the tomatoes, potatoes.

• Test chicken for tenderness with a fork, when done add the coconut milk about 6-8 min before turning off the fire. Add salt to taste.

Very aromatic and tasteful - especially served with steaming jasmine rice.

Scrambled egg
Goes well with scrambled eggs (2 eggs, cheddar cheese, sesame oil, white pepper, knob of butter) - when pan is smoking hot, shut down heat, and pour beaten eggs into pan. Cover on, let it cook in the ambient heat for 2-3 min, eye-ball and turn on fire to adjust cooking, etc.