Kari Kapitan

Ingredients

• 1.2 kg chicken thighs, bone in, cut into large pieces
• 400 ml coconut milk
• 100 ml water
• 4 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp palm sugar
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 6 kaffir lime leaves
• 2 lemongrass stalks, bruised
• 10 dried chillies
• 12 shallots
• 6 garlic cloves
• 8 candlenuts
• 3 cm fresh turmeric
• 3 cm galangal
• 2 lemongrass stalks, white part only, for the paste
• 2 tsp belacan (shrimp paste)
• 1 tbsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin

Before you cook

• Soak the dried chillies in hot water for twenty minutes, then drain them and shake out most of the seeds.
• Blend the drained chillies, shallots, garlic, candlenuts, turmeric, galangal, the paste lemongrass and belacan to a fine paste with a splash of water.
• Stir the ground coriander and cumin into the paste.
• Cut the chicken into large pieces and pat them dry.
• Bruise the two whole lemongrass stalks with the back of a knife.

Steps

1. Heat the oil in a wide heavy pan over medium-low heat.
2. Add the rempah and fry it for fifteen to eighteen minutes, stirring regularly, until it turns deep rust red and the oil separates out.
3. Add the bruised lemongrass and four of the kaffir lime leaves and stir for one minute.
4. Add the chicken pieces and turn them through the paste for five minutes, until coated and sealed.
5. Pour in half the coconut milk and all the water.
6. Bring the pan to a gentle simmer, then cover it and cook for twenty-five minutes.
7. Uncover the pan and stir in the remaining coconut milk.
8. Simmer uncovered for fifteen minutes, stirring often, until the gravy clings to the chicken and a slick of red oil rises to the surface.
9. Season with the palm sugar and salt.
10. Shred the last two kaffir lime leaves as finely as you can and stir them through.
11. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the lime juice.
12. Taste once more and add salt or lime until the richness is cut cleanly.
13. Serve with steamed rice and a plain stir-fried green.