Chicken Curry - Cook and Share a Pot of Curry 2012 event

Today is "Cook and Share a Pot of Curry 2012" event on FB. So I cooked chicken curry and shared with hubby. hehe.. The Curry Team have also created a new Curry page, check it out and LIKE them.  =) I know I posted chicken curry recipes before but this is another version. The following recipe is a mixture from recipes that I collected. I changed and add just a bit here and there to suit my taste. 

Here is our chicken curry with colorful roti jala. =)

Chicken Curry

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken, cleaned & chopped into smaller pieces

3 potatoes, peeled & cubed

4 hard boiled eggs, peeled

1 cup coconut milk

3-4 cups water or chicken stock

4-5 tbsp curry powder

2 stalks lemongrass, light part & bruised

1-2 bulb shallot, peeled & slice thinly

8-10 curry leaves

2-3 tbsp ghee or cooking oil

1 tbsp fish sauce

a little sugar

salt to taste

Paste: To grind in the blender or use Mortar and pestle :

3 bulbs shallots, peeled

5 cloves garlic, peeled

3-4 candlenuts

3cm ginger, peeled

1-2 fresh red or green chilli (Omitted, cos if not, it will be too spicy for us)

Method:

1. Mix curry powder with 2-3 tbsp of water to form a smooth paste. 
2. Heat ghee or cooking oil in a large pot, saute the paste mixture, curry leaves, lemongrass until fragrant, stirring constantly.
3. Add the curry paste, sliced shallots and chicken pieces.
4. Cook for 10 minutes to sear the mix. 
5. Add in water and potatoes. Covered and bring it to a boil. 
6. Then add the fish sauce, sugar (amount of sugar is how sweet you want but not too sweet) and salt to taste. Add hard boiled egg.
7. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, semi-covered until chicken and potatoes are done. 
8. Serve with roti jala or steamed rice. 

Here is the link for ROTI JALA. 

Chicken curry without using coconut milk

I have been looking for a chicken curry recipe without using any coconut milk or yogurt. I've tried a few recipes and they were not really the right one. Finally, I found a recipe; Aisha's chicken curry without using coconut milk (mesra). I really like this recipe because it is easy, delicious and not too spicy for me! It's a keeper!! :)

Curry chicken without using coconut milk,

adapted from Aisha's kari ayam tanpa santan

Ingredients:

1 whole skinless chicken or equivalent size chicken breasts

1 large onion, thinly sliced

2 tomatoes, diced

3 green cardamon

1 cinnamon stick

4 whole cloves

daun pudina (mint leaves), optional

a few dry curry leaves, optional

4 tbsp curry powder (Baba's meat curry is the best!)

1 tbsp tomato puree

3-4 tbsp olive oil

1 cup water

2 potatoes, cut in four

salt to taste

Blended ingredients:

1 onion

2 cloves garlic

1cm ginger

Garnish:

green chillies, thinly sliced

coriander leaves/cilantro

Blend 1 onion, garlic and ginger until smooth (you might want to add a little water to the mix). 

Heat olive oil in a wok or skillet over medium heat. Saute sliced onions, mint leaves, curry leaves, green cardamon, cinnamon stick, whole cloves and diced tomatoes until onions are transparently yellowish.

Add the blended ingredients, tomato puree and curry powder. Slowly stir and mix until all combined. Keep stirring until you see oil separating from the onions and spices. Then add the chicken and water. Cook until the chicken is almost tender, then add the potatoes and cover again. Add salt to taste. Keep the lid closed and let the chicken and potatoes well cooked.

Serve hot with plain rice or roti kirai (lacy pancakes) or baguette. Enjoy!

Notes:

You don't have to use the curry leaves, I used them because I like it. ;)

But it would be much better to add mint leaves because they brings out the flavor and fragrant of the curry.

Karipap Pusing with Curried potatoes, sweet potatoes and ground beef.

My friend host a Project Karipap/Epok-epok (Curry Puffs) from March 13th, 2010 to April 13th, 2010 in Facebook. I've made the regular epok-epok before but this is my first attempt to make Karipap Pusing. Curry puff is a popular snack in Singapore and Malaysia. There are variety of fillings but usually the main filling is potato. Karipap Pusing is like epok-epok but karipap pusing is more crisp after frying because of the patten on the skin. 

I was in the mid of writing this post this evening, but hubs wanted to watch the movie Julie and Julia that we got in the mail today. So I had to save the blog and watch the movie with him. I expected the movie to be good, but it was even better than expected. Its a lovely movie. I really love the movie. After the movie was over, here I am back writing my blog..

Ingredients: 

Filling:

1 onion, chopped

a few curry leaves - for fragrance

1 cup ground beef

300 g potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes

200g sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes

1 cup water

2 tbs beef curry powder - mix with some water to form a paste 

salt to taste

2 stalks spring onion

cooking oil

In a large saucepan, heat oil and saute the onion and curry leaves till soft and fragrant. Add in the curry paste and stir well. Add the ground beef, diced potatoes, diced sweet potatoes, salt and water. Cover. Cook until the potatoes are soften and there is no water left. Remove from heat. Add green onions and mix well. Let it to cool.

Dough A:

300g all-purpose flour

pinch of salt

1/4 cup canola oil/vegetable oil

1/2 cup lukewarm water

In a large mixing bowl , add salt to flour. Make a well in the center and add the oil and mix well with your fingertips. Add the water bit by bit until the dough does not stick to you hand. Set aside.

Dough B:

150g all purpose flour

100g butter/marjerin

Mix all ingredients in B till a soft dough is formed.

These puffs are meant to be fried. My attempt to fry these puffs were impossible.. They  crack,  break, burst or whatever you call it, when fried... I was filled with despair when looking at the puffs in the hot oil.. Could it be, the heat temperature was a little too high or my measurements could be inaccurate... I do not know.. I had to throw them away because they can't be saved.. (there were 6 pieces) :( So I had another option.... That is when I tried baking. I took a few pieces and placed in the baking tray and brushed egg yolk on the top. Baked in a preheated oven at 350F for about 40mins or until it turned golden brown. Once they were baked, they turned out great.. These puffs reminds me of the curry puffs that I usually get at Polar Singapore. *yum-yum*

Notes:

I found that after baking, my puffs did not really show the patten on the skin as much as when you fried them.

Chicken Curry

I have been searching for a delicious and simple to make chicken curry. That is not too oily, too spicy, too thin or too thick. I remember eating chicken curry at a friend's house and her chicken curry was delicious and she said she did not even used coconut milk! My mom made delicious chicken curry too but when I cooked, the chicken curry it was never the same.. I do not know where I go wrong. haha.. I also tried those ready made chicken curry in packets, they tasted funny and too spicy (will not named the brand). It  is healthier to use chicken without the skin  for chicken curry. I never like the chicken skin in my curry except for fried chicken, I liked the skin.. haha.. :)

Thanks to Za from Stay At Home Mom for sharing her chicken curry recipe. This recipe is a keeper!!!

Ingredients:
1/2  chicken, cut into chunks
2 potatoes, cut quarters
1/2 cup coconut milk
2 tbsp meat curry powder (Baba’s Meat Curry)
2 tomatoes, chopped 1 carrot, cut rounds
1 cup water
1 tsp brown sugar
salt to taste

For frying:
1/2 large onion, sliced
2 cardamom, crushed
3 cloves
1 piece cinnamon stick
1 sprig curry leaves
2 tbsp ghee

Grind into a paste:
1 large onion
2 cloves garlic
2 inch ginger

Method:

1. Heat ghee in a pot and fry sliced onion, cloves, cardamom and cinnamon stick, curry leaves.
2. Mix curry powder and the blended ingredients in a bowl. Add into the pot and stir until color changes and it becomes fragrant.
3. Add 1/2 cup of water and keep stirring.
4. Add chicken and cover the pot. When the chicken is no longer pink, add potatoes. There should be enough water to cover 3/4 of the chicken and potatoes.
5. Add more water from the remaining amount if necessary. Cook until the potatoes are tender.
6. Add coconut milk and, tomatoes and sugar. When it starts to bubble, turn off the heat.
7. Serve hot with bread or rice.

Oatmeal Butter Prawns

Fresh live prawns!! Yummy!!!! We went to a fishing pond to catch prawns... no fish but prawns... I forgot the name of the place but I remember the place is in a golf range. There is a seafood restaurant. The owner charged for 1 hr its $15, 2 hrs $25 and 3 hrs $30 and you get 1 fishing rod. So within the period you paid, you can catch as many prawns you like.. So let say, you pay for an hour, you might get 3 or 4 prawns or even more or less... Fishing need a lot of patience. I even saw some people, after they caught some prawns, they could bbq right there and eat them there... the smell of the bbq made me hungry... yummy!!

My cousin and his gurlfren were already there and by the time when we got there they already caught some (as in the picture below)

After 4 hrs of of prawning... hehe.... I would say we caught quite a lot. So as soon as we got home, mom we cleaned the prawns with salt and water then deep-fry the live prawns.

My mom wanted to make Sambal Prawns but its too spicy so I suggest to cook Oatmeal Butter Prawns.. This is my favorite dish and everyone else in the family too...:)

Cooking with mom, well, she doesnt use the measuring cup or scale... just using estimations.. So I had to look in my recipe book for Oatmeal Butter Prawns and do some adjustments...

Recipe:

• 300g big prawns, trimmed, washed and drained
• 3 tbsp butter / margarine
• 3 egg yolks, beaten lightly
• 2 tbsp garlic and onion paste
• 1 tbsp curry powder
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 sprigs curry leaves
• 5 tbsp quick-cooking oatmeal
• salt and pepper, to taste
• Oil for deep-fry
• Chinese parsley and spring onion - garnish (optional)

Method:

1. Heat up oil, add prawns and deep-fry for 1 minute Dish and drain.
2. Level 1/2 cup of oil wok, saute butter/margarine and egg yolks till fragrant.
3. Add garlic, chicken stock granules, sugar, curry leaves, chillis, salt and peppeter and continue to fry till fragrant.
4. Add prawns and fry till aromatic.
5. Lastly, add oatmeal and fry till dry. Dish up and serve hot.

Enjoy! :-)