Nyonya Curry

Nyonya Chicken Curry Recipe

Nyonya Curry

Recipe Type: Curry

Cuisine: Malaysian

Author: Caroline Artiss

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 40 mins

Total time: 55 mins

Serves: 4 -6

Nyonya cuisine is a beautiful fusion of Malay and Chinese flavors and it’s a culinary legacy of the Straits Chinese communities of Malaysia. The dishes use many Malay ingredients such as galangal, turmeric and lemon grass and mix them with Chinese influences like pork and the Chinese styles of cooking.

 A key ingredient is belacan – a dried shrimp paste Nyonya food originating from the North of Malaysia – Penang, and Nyonya food originating from the South – Malacca and Singapore, have distinct differences. Nyonya cooking in the South has an Indonesian influence. The food is generally sweeter, richer with liberal use of coconut milk and more traditional Malay spices. In Malacca especially, Nyonya cooking is heavily influenced by Portuguese-Eurasian style of cooking.

Ingredients

• Curry paste:

• 1/12 inch galangal

• 1 tsp turmeric powder

• 2- 4 red chillies

• 2 stalks lemon grass

• 1 tsp belachan (shrimp paste)

• 1 large brown onion

• 3 cloves garlic

• 1 tbsp oil

• Other Ingredients

• 1 kg chicken pieces (thigh is good)

• 4 kaffir lime leaves

• Juice of 1 lime

• 1 can of coconut milk

• 1 tsp salt

• Cooking equipment:

• 1 large saucepan

• Blender

Instructions

1. Blend all the ingredients for the curry paste in a blender

2. The oil will make it go round easier; add a little more if you need to

3. Whiz it until it is a smooth paste

4. Heat a little oil in a large saucepan

5. Add the curry paste and cook on a low heat for about 5 minutes so that all the flavors infuse

6. Add the chicken and lime leaves, cook for 2 minutes until chicken is sealed

7. Add the coconut milk and top up with ½ a can of water so that all the chicken is covered

8. Reduce heat and leave to simmer for 30 minutes

9. Season with salt and lime juice before serving

10. Serve with steaming hot rice