Kapitan Curry Chicken

The secrets to a successful Malaysian curry are fresh spices and the right amount of heat.

Basic spice mixture : 4 dried chilli, 2 eschalot, 2 garlic, 1 large stalk of lemongrass base (white portion only), 2 slices of galangal, turmeric (very small portion, or else it tastes medicinal).

Tip: cut up your spices into smaller pieces would reduce the time and energy required for pounding.
This must be well ground either manually with mortar and pestle or an effective electric grinder for making Indian curry powder. Blenders do not work as well.

The main contents are chicken which has to be marinated with good quality curry powder for 10 minutes and potatoes (steam, parboil or pre-fry if you prefer them softer).

Must haves:

- kaffir lime leaves to be added when the curry is almost cooked. Do not boil the leaves.

- toasted belachan (shrimp paste)

- 2 halved fresh chillies

Seasoning: dark soy sauce, small pinch of salt, palm sugar, fish sauce and pepper.

Cooking:

(1) Stir fry the spice mixture in heated vegetable oil till fragrant. Be patient and do not burn the spices.

(2) Add marinated chicken pieces and sear the outer layer.

(3) Add potatoes

(4) Pour in coconut milk from 1 coconut or 300g of tinned or tetrapak coconut milk

(5) Keep stirring to prevent food sticking to the bottom of the pan. Bring to a soft boiling state. Keep it simmering for 10 minutes without the lid on the pot.

(6) Add kaffir lime leaves

Thai Red Curry Roast Duck: Gaeng Phet Ped Yang

This is one of the Thai curry dishes that could rival Green Curry to reach the status of royal cuisine.

Prepare red curry paste (either using ready packaged or pound dried chilli with galangal, lemongrass, coriander root, shallot onion, garlic, pepper, shrimp paste). Stir fry with a little oil and add coconut milk.

If using leftover duck from the fridge, warm briefly in microwave oven.

Pineapple (fresh is better) and lychee (or rambutan) would give the dish the special tang and sweetness to balance the hot chillies and savoury duck.

When almost cooked, throw in some torn kaffir lime leaves.

Curry Chicken - Malaysian Kapitan Curry Ayam

Cooking curry can be quite challenging and takes years to master after much tasting and experimenting. But  nothing is impossible if you know the method and little secrets that make a world of difference.

The essential meat ingredient is free range chicken. Cut whole chicken into bite sizes or use chicken drumsticks. It is tastier using meat on the bone.  Marinate chicken meat with 2 tsp of good quality curry powder from the spice store or Ayam brand. Babas used to be quite good but they seem to have diluted the content. Fiji is a hint spicier and heavy on chilli.  It all depends on what you like. Just remember one thing : Do not use curry powder that has been prepared for many months or exposed to the air.

The spicy paste : dried chillies (soaked and cut into smaller pieces), galangal, onion, garlic, tumeric (a little) and peppercorn. Add candle nut (or macadamia nut) for thicker curry and nutty taste. It is important to fry the paste in 2 TBS oil till fragrant. Otherwise the curry will be flat.

Cut lemongrass into segments. Bruise the white portion and fry with the spice mix.  Add the green stems when the chicken is simmering in curry.

The potatoes : if you like it softer, steam or bake with salt briefing till semi-cooked. For medium soft, fry potatoes with the chicken. For crunchy potato, cut into smaller pieces and add to the curry when it is boiling.

Fry chicken in fried spice mix till 3/4 cooked. Prepare coconut milk and add to the curry. Do not add too much water initially until you see the results after putting in the meat and potatoes.

To make it extra tasty : add tamarind paste, crumbled shrimp paste (Malaysian) and a knob of ginger.

Seasoning : salt, fish sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar according to taste.

Garnish : torn kaffir lime leaves (4) and common mint (2) and 1/2 TBS of thick coconut cream

Sprinkling of shredded coconut (preferably fresh) at the end of the cooking will make any indifferent curry eater drool. If not available, use either snap frozen (steamed) or good quality dessicated coconut though these are not as fragrant.

The difference between most curries and rendang is the latter has less liquid and is browner in colour.

Silkworm in spicy laksa soup - twist to exotic Northeast Asian / Far East delicacy

I learned recently that silkworm is the staple food in Northeast China, Korea, Far East Russia, Japan and northern Thailand.

Outside its natural habitat, adventurous foodies can only get hold of canned or frozen versions. 

Traditionally, silkworm is supposed to be stir fried. Since the canned silkworm was not popular, judging by the amount of leftovers, this creative home-cook has to reinvent and make an interesting dish. The solution : adding silkworm to laksa noodle soup! 

In Southeast Asia, cockles (mud clams) are added to laksa for a special shellfish zing. Silkworm really does the trick here. It brings out the special flavour in laksa. 

A recipe for easy preparation of coconut based laksa will be provided shortly (note : not the same as tamarind fish laksa or curry flavoured mee soup versions). 

Silkworms are nutritious and do not add much to carbon emissions. These creatures feed on mulberry, leaves of a delicious fruit quite similar to raspberry except larger and of a darker color. 

Researchers have recommended adding silkworm pupae for a higher protein diet, especially for hikers and astronauts. It is not that squirmish once you get over the mental barrier. 

Spicy thick curry in a coconut - seafood or roast duck (Indo-chinese style)

Red curry paste is very versatile for cooking seafood and meat dishes.

Steaming curry in a coconut after a brief stir fry in the sauces not only enhances the visual exotic appeal but keeps the curry warm and more fragrant.

Suitable for cooking seafood (thick soupy hor mok or choo chee curry) or roast duck curry.

This method is especially popular in Thailand and Vietnam.