Ayam Kaptian (Malaysian Chicken curry)

This recipe is from Adam Liaw's Two Asian Kitchens cookbook
Ingredients

1 whole chicken, jointed and trimmed of excess fat

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

5 eshalots, sliced

270 ml coconut cream

juice of 1/2 a lime

2 kaffir lime leaves finely shredded

Base Paste

8 red birds-eye chilies

3 eshalots, peeled and sliced

5 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced

2.5 cm ginger, peeled and sliced

2.5 cm galangal, peeled and sliced

2.5 cm fresh tumeric, peeled and sliced

5 candlenuts

2 lemon grass stalks, white part only sliced

1 tsp belachan (dried shrimp paste)

Method

1. To make the paste, combine all ingredients in a blender or mortar and pestle and blend to a smooth fine paste
2. Heat the oil over a medium heat in a pan large enough to hold the whole chicken. Fry the paste for 5 minutes or until fragrant
3. Add the sliced eshalots and chicken and turn until coated in the paste. Cook for a further 2 minutes until the eshalots have softened
4. Add the coconut cream and 100 ml water and cover the pan with a lid, Bring to the boil, then reduce the pan to a simmer for 20 minutes
5. Remove the lad and cook for a further 5-10 minutes, until the chicken is tender and the sauce is reduced
6. Stir through the lime leaves and juice to serve.
7. Serve with steamed jasmine rice and some green vegetables

Alterations:

Leave out the chilli for a child friendly option. Or at least make the chilli separate and cook that into the mixture once you have removed some for the children.

Substitute ground almond meal for candlenuts if you can't find them