Name: Balinese curry
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 4 clove garlic, roughly chopped; 7 centimetre piece of ginger, roughly chopped; 4 shallots, roughly chopped (or use 1 small onion); 2 red chillies deseeded and chopped; 2 tablespoon tamarind pasate; 1 1/2 tablespoon grated palm sugar or use brown sugar; 2 tablespoon dark soy sauce; 3 tablespoon fish sauce; 3 teaspoon ground coriander; 3 teaspoon ground cumin; 1 1/2 cup coconut milk; 2 tablespoon vegetable oil; 5 cloves; 3 star anise; 1 cinnamon stick; 8 boneless chicken thighs, skin removed; extra water; Garnish; 1/2 cup chopped toasted peanuts; 1 cup roughly chopped bean sprouts, to garnish; To serve; steamed rice; 1 sliced telegraph cucumber

Balinese curry

Curries from Bali are sweet and fragrant, and ideal for entertaining. They are often best served close to room temperature, which takes the pressure off getting everything to the table piping hot. Photography by Todd Eyre.

Serves 8

Cook

Ingredients

4 clove garlic, roughly chopped

7 centimetre piece of ginger, roughly chopped

4 shallots, roughly chopped (or use 1 small onion)

2 red chillies deseeded and chopped

2 tablespoon tamarind pasate

1 1/2 tablespoon grated palm sugar or use brown sugar

2 tablespoon dark soy sauce

3 tablespoon fish sauce

3 teaspoon ground coriander

3 teaspoon ground cumin

1 1/2 cup coconut milk

2 tablespoon vegetable oil

5 cloves

3 star anise

1 cinnamon stick

8 boneless chicken thighs, skin removed

extra water

Garnish

1/2 cup chopped toasted peanuts

1 cup roughly chopped bean sprouts, to garnish

To serve

steamed rice

1 sliced telegraph cucumber

Method

Balinese curry

1.Using a food processor (or a large mortar and pestle), grind the garlic, ginger, shallots, chilli (reserve some for garnish), tamarind, sugar, soy sauce, fish sauce, coriander, cumin and ¼ cup of coconut milk to form a chunky spice paste.

2.Heat the oil in a large, heavy- based saucepan or frying pan, which has a lid, to medium. Add the cloves, star anise and cinnamon. Stir-fry for about 1 minute until fragrant.

3.Add the spice paste and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring to prevent it from sticking.

4.Put in the chicken pieces, turning to coat them. Cook for 5 minutes, then pour in the remaining coconut milk.

5.Bring to a simmer, then turn the heat to low, cover and continue cooking for 30-40 minutes.

6.Remove the lid and simmer to reduce the sauce so that it’s thick enough to coat the chicken. Stir frequently to prevent sticking and add a bit of water if you need to thin the gravy.

Garnish

7.Garnish with peanuts and bean sprouts

To serve

8.Serve with the rice and cucumber. Add the reserved chilli for extra heat, if desired.

If you haven’t got tamarind paste, at a pinch you can add the juice of 1 lemon or lime and ¼ tsp brown sugar to replace the sweet tang of this wonderful fruit.
Note

Women's Weekly Food