Balinese Chicken Curry

Ingredients:

Yellow curry paste:

4cm fresh galangal or ginger root, peeled

4cm fresh turmeric root, peeled, or 2 teaspoons turmeric powder

3 cloves garlic, peeled

1 – 2 red chillies

1 tbsp cashews

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

½ tsp ground black pepper

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

½ tsp salt

2 tsp fish sauce

2 tbsp neutral flavoured oil

Chicken curry:

1.4kg chicken, cut into 10 pieces

1 cup water

2 kaffir lime leaves

2 lemongrass stalks

1 cup coconut milk

Juice of 1 lime

Instructions:

1. Make the curry paste. Roughly chop the galangal/ginger, turmeric, garlic and chilli. Use a mortar and pestle or food processor to crush/blend into a paste, add the remaining paste ingredients and mix until smooth (this makes enough curry paste for two chickens – freeze half in a small container).

2. Combine the chicken pieces and remaining curry paste in a bowl and marinade for two hours or overnight in the fridge.

3. Place the chicken into a heavy-based pan and add the water. Crush the kaffir lime leaves in your palm, and use the heel of a large knife to bruise the lemongrass stalks, and add to the pan. Bring to a gentle simmer and add the coconut milk. Cook gently for 30-40 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Add the lime juice and check seasoning.

4. Serve with jasmine rice, steamed greens and lime wedges.

5. If you want to bulk out the curry add two potatoes and two carrots, peeled and cut into 2cm cubes, for the last 20 minutes of cooking.