Lighter Massaman Chicken Curry Food

CHICKEN MASSAMAN CURRY

Steps:

• Dry-toast the chiles de arbol and guajillo chiles in a medium cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium heat until lightly blackened in spots, 30 seconds to 1 minute per side. Transfer to a medium bowl and cover with hot water; let sit for 20 minutes to soften. Drain.
• Meanwhile, add the shrimp paste foil packet and the coriander, cumin, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon to the skillet. Toast the shrimp paste (in the foil), about 1 minute per side and stir to toast the spices until golden brown in spots and very fragrant, about 2 minutes total. Remove the foil packet and transfer the spices to a bowl. When completely cool, remove the shrimp paste from the foil and discard the foil. Grind the spices into a powder in a spice grinder.
• Turn the heat up to medium-high. Add the lemongrass, galangal, garlic, cilantro roots and shallot and toast until blackened in spots, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add the drained chiles, toasted shrimp paste, ground spices, nutmeg and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Pulse and scrape down the food processor multiple times until you have a fine paste.
• Place the curry paste and 1/2 cup coconut milk in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. As the mixture cooks down, stir more frequently, scraping the bottom, until the oil separates and the paste sticks aggressively to the pan, 6 to 8 minutes. Add 3 tablespoons tamarind, the tablespoon fish sauce and tablespoon palm sugar and cook, stirring, a few seconds. Add the chicken thighs and turn in the curry paste to coat. Add the rest of the coconut milk, the peanuts, bay leaves, star anise, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 cup water.
• Simmer gently, partially covered, until the chicken is almost cooked through and the liquid has reduced slightly, 40 minutes. Tuck in the potatoes and onion, making sure the potatoes are submerged in the liquid. Simmer, partially covered, until the potatoes are fork tender, about 20 more minutes. Add 2 more tablespoons of tamarind. Taste and adjust with more tamarind, fish sauce, sugar and salt, if necessary. There might be a layer of bright orange oil on top. Feel free to skim some of it off, but it is traditional to leave some oil in the curry.
• Serve with the steamed jasmine rice.

MASSAMAN CURRY ROAST CHICKEN

Steps:

• Put the chicken in a roasting tin or large casserole. Roughly chop half the ginger and put into the cavity of the chicken with the lemongrass and half the lime, then tie the legs together with string. Mix 1 tsp of the curry paste with the oil, rub it all over the chicken, then season with salt and pepper. Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6, cover the chicken loosely with foil, then put it in to roast. After 35 mins, take the foil off the bird. Add the potatoes to the tin, then stir them around in any juices. Roast for another 40 mins until the chicken is cooked through and golden and the potatoes are tender.
• Take the chicken out of the tin and leave to rest, loosely covered. Put the tin on the hob, add the remaining curry paste, grate in the remaining ginger, then fry for 2 mins until fragrant. Stir in the coconut milk and sugar, then boil for about 5 mins until the sauce is slightly thickened.
• Tip in the beans, simmer for 4 more mins (or until tender), then splash in the fish sauce, any resting juices and squeeze over the remaining lime. Scatter with the peanuts for the authentic Massaman flavour. Carve the chicken and serve with the saucy potatoes and basmati rice.

CHICKEN MASSAMAN CURRY

Steps:

• Heat vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in curry paste and minced ginger; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Stir in the cubed chicken, and cook until the pieces turn white on the outside, about 3 minutes.
• Stir in brown sugar, fish sauce, tamarind paste, peanut butter, potatoes, and coconut milk. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the potatoes are tender and the chicken pieces are no longer pink in the center, about 20 minutes. Add the lime juice and cook for an additional 5 minutes before serving.

SLOW COOKER CHICKEN MASSAMAN CURRY

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet. Add chicken pieces in batches, cooking until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Place browned chicken in the bottom of a slow cooker. Place potatoes, carrots, and bell peppers on top of the meat in the slow cooker.
• Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in the skillet and add onion. Cook until soft and translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add to slow cooker. Add red curry paste, ginger paste, and lemongrass paste to the skillet and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour in 1 can coconut milk; reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer until reduced by half, about 10 minutes.
• Whisk in remaining 1 can coconut milk, chicken broth, and peanut butter. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer until liquid begins to thicken, about 5 minutes. Pour sauce over ingredients in the slow cooker; stir gently to combine.
• Set slow cooker to Low and cook until vegetables are tender and chicken is no longer pink in the center and juices run clear, 4 to 6 hours.
• 20 minutes before serving season with lemon juice, fish sauce, and brown sugar. Stir in 1/2 cup of chopped peanuts. Serve with hot cooked rice and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup of peanuts.

MASSAMAN CHICKEN CURRY

Steps:

• Par boil the potatoes, drain and set aside.
• To make the paste, place the peppercorns, cinnamon, cumin and corriander in a frying pan and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes, or until aromatic.
• Cool the spice mixture, then add it to a food processor, together with the chilli, shallots, ginger, lemongrass, garlic and peanuts. Process until you have a smooth paste.
• Add the oil to a large, heavy based pan, and heat on a medium heat.
• Add the chicken pieces, and cook until browned. You might need to do this in batches.
• Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
• Still on a medium heat, add the spice mixture and fry gently for about 1 minute.
• Add the coconut milk and cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes.
• I like my curry paste super-smooth, so at this stage I remove from heat, cool for a few minutes and then add to a blender, and blend the coconut milk and spice mixture until it's a smooth, creamy mix. Return to the pan. This step is entirely optional.
• Add the sugar to the coconut milk mixture, and cook on medium for a further 3 minutes.
• Return the chicken to the pan and add in the potatoes, bay leaf, cardamon pods, fish sauce and tamarind.
• Bring to the boil, then reduce and gently simmer for 30-40 minutes, or until chicken and potatoes are cooked.
• Add the extra peanuts 5-10 minutes before finish cooking.
• Serve with steamed rice and/or roti.