Tuesday, July 06, 2010

Kapitan Chicken Curry

The Peranakan cuisine is found in south-eastern Asia. Also known as Nyonya Food, they are an amalgamation of Chinese and Malay dishes, with the extensive use of herbs and spices, especially belachan, turmeric, galangal and pandan leaves.

One of the dishes is Curry Chicken Kapitan. It has a milder taste compare the usual Malay or Indian curry. This curry has a distinctly Nyonya flavored of lemon juice, candlenut, kaffir lime leaves, fresh turmeric roots and leaves. Besides the usual steamed white rice, this dish is excellent served with turmeric glutinous rice and Roti Jala.



Ingredients:
1 chicken – cut into medium bite size pieces
4 kaffir lime leaves
3 turmeric leaves – tear into small pieces
2 - 3 cups coconut milk
Juice of a lemon
Salt and sugar to taste

To blend into paste:

8 shallots
1 bulb garlic - peeled
3 stalk lemongrass – remove the hard outer layers and cut small
10 dried red chili
5 fresh red chili
3 " fresh turmeric or 2 tbsp turmeric powder
2 tbsp curry powder
8 candlenuts/buah keras (you can replace it with almond or macadamia nuts
1. Put the paste ingredients in a blender and blend into paste and set it aside.
2. Heat up about 4 tbsp of oil in a wok or a pot and fry the blended ingredients until fragrant. While stirring add about ½ cup of coconut milk to make a paste and to prevent the spices from burning.
3. Add in the chicken, fry for a few minutes. Keep on stirring and coating the chicken pieces with the paste. . Pour in the rest of coconut milk (amount depend on how much gravy you like) and bring it up to a boil. Add in kaffir lime and turmeric leaves. Lower down the heat and cover. Cook over low heat (stir occasionally) for about 30 mins or until chicken is tender and gravy thickens. If it gets too dry you can a bit more coconut milk or water.
4. Add in the lemon juice, salt and sugar to taste. Serve with rice or roti jala or even crusty bread.

Note: If you like this dish to be less spicy you can always reduce the amount of chilies.

31 comments:

MaryMoh said...

Beautiful curry. I love the rich colour. Curry is my favourite...just soooo good with rice.....mmmmm. I have been thinking of cooking curry too :P

Angie's Recipes said...

My kind of comfort food! Yummy!

Mat Gebu said...

Waaaa..sedapnya ayam kapitan, ni kena cuba juga...eh lama i lah tak masak nyonya food...

Sarah said...

Delicious. It goes nicely with pulut kunyit too. Like those retro days when one celebrated a baby's full month.

Sarah said...

Did you use a tangine to cook this dish? The cookware looks nice.

ReeseKitchen said...

WA...I like this! I love spicy food, i have chilli almost in every meal..;p Just wonder if I replace the coconut milk with full cream milk, will it taste the same? I used fresh milk for my local curry and even my tumeric curry chicken, and the taste is just nice..;)

busygran said...

Hmm... looks spicilicious. Definitely a dish not to be missed. Goes well with nasi kunyit.

Unknown said...

Looks lovely & comforting

Cheah said...

I made this too last week, but used ready made paste, easy job for lazy bones like me!

Jeannie said...

Yeah, I usually buy the chilli paste from the indian lady from the market, too lazy to make my own...your curry looks very delicious! Must buy the paste this weekend to cook:D

Little Corner of Mine said...

Delicious! Now I am craving for some good curry.

Anonymous said...

This look great Gert. I wish I can dip in into my roti canai now.

Sue

Bakericious said...

I love curry, love it with rice or noodle. Your curry looks so tempting, now thinking to get some during lunch :)

Zurin said...

one of the Peranakan dishes I have yet to make. :) tq :)

Elin said...

Daddy loves curry kapitan but I am not good in cooking this dish :( I must learn to cook this and make it perfect. Thanks Gertrude for sharing this. I will try your version when everyone is back home :)

Honey Bee Sweets said...

Yippee! I was thinking what kind of curry to make if I were to try out Roti Jala...and you gave me the answer! Thanks Gert...nice curry, yum yum!

Sonia ~ Nasi Lemak Lover said...

wor, this look so delicious, just serve with steamed rice, simple and yummy.

MeRy said...

Yummy......I love to eat curry.

Kitchen Corner said...

You are good in cooking curry! All your curry dishes look so appetizing and very delicious! Thanks for sharing this kapitan curry. I've book marked it, cheers!

Pete said...

Love this Nyonya curry. Buah Keras gave it extra 'lemak', nice!

A Little Yumminess said...

I love nyonya food...saw this on Foodgawker. Will make for sure!

ICook4Fun said...

Mary, yes the color came from the turmeric.

Angie, thanks.

Mat, bila you nak masak ni :)

Sarah, no I just used the tangine for display.

Reese, me too. I can't live without spicy food :)

Busygrand, yes but we just ate this with rice.

Jennifurla, thanks.

Cheah, if I can find all the ingredients here I like making it from scratch.

ICook4Fun said...

Jeannie, we used to get the curry paste from and old Indian guy from the wet market too. All you have to do is tell him what curry you are cooking and he will mix it for you.

LCOM, thanks

Sue, thank you.

Jess, thanks.

Zurin, do try this out and I am sure you are going to like it.

Elin, why have to wait for everyone. You and daddy need to eat too, right.

Bee Bee, hope you like this. Looking forward to your posting at your blog :)

Sonia, thank you.

Mery, thanks.

Kitchen Corner, I love curry and will cook it at least once a week :)

Pete, yea lucky we can get buah keras here.

A Little Yumminess, me too :)

MamaFaMi said...

Hello Gert..
Hope all are well with you that side. Your Kapitan Chicken Curry looks delicious. If eaten with roti canai, I think, 2 pieces will go without you realising it! Hahaha.. kuatnya makan kan mama ni!

Elin said...

Gertrude...haha all the work for just two of us but looking at yours I will have to put aside one Saturday to cook this for him...:p

He sees your curry kapitan he 'lau nuah ' so I think I will cook this for him :))

3 hungry tummies said...

You do have some of the best Malaysian dishes around. Looking forward to your post for Muhibbah Malaysia :)
I can eat the whole bowl of this!

Dee said...

You should try to cook Masamun curry. I'm sure Carlos would like it cause there's peanuts in them.
Btw, love the pot (3rd picture)

Beachlover's Kitchen said...

I just had Maine lobster but looking at your kapitan chic make me hungry again!! miss spicy food now!can eat this kapitan chicken wt couple plate of rice!!yummy!!

Christelle said...

Oh I remember this dish from when I visited Melaka, yummy!! :)

Anonymous said...

HI i have all nut allergies, are there any ingredients that i can sub for candlenuts? can i make the curry without those nuts?

thanks for the help!

ICook4Fun said...

Anon, you can just omit the nuts.