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1
Blend the Spice Paste
10 Mins
No heat — blender, about 20°C (68°F)
Put the shallots, garlic, ginger, galangal, candlenuts, ground coriander, turmeric and white pepper in a blender with 60 ml of the coconut milk. Blend for 2–3 minutes, scraping down the sides twice, until the paste is completely smooth and pale gold.
Add the coconut milk a spoonful at a time — too much liquid and the paste spins without grinding.
Done when: Paste is smooth, thick and pale gold, with no visible chunks.
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2
Fry the Paste Until Fragrant
8 Mins
Medium heat, ~175°C (350°F)
Warm the vegetable oil in a wide, heavy pot over medium heat. Add the spice paste, lemongrass, bay leaves and lime leaves, and fry for 7–8 minutes, stirring constantly, until the paste turns a shade darker, smells deeply fragrant, and the oil begins to separate at the edges.
Do not rush this step — an under-fried paste tastes raw and the sauce will never turn silky.
Done when: Paste is fragrant, slightly darker, with a thin rim of oil at the edges.
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3
Add Chicken and Coconut Milk
5 Mins
Medium heat, ~175°C (350°F)
Add the chicken thighs to the pot and turn them in the paste for 2 minutes so every piece is coated. Pour in the rest of the coconut milk and the water, add the palm sugar, salt and whole red chillies, and stir gently to combine.
Coat the chicken before adding the liquid — the paste clings to the meat instead of washing off into the sauce.
Done when: Chicken is coated, liquid is golden and creamy, no paste clumps remain.
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4
Simmer Low Until Tender
25 Mins
Low heat, ~95°C (200°F)
Bring the pot just to a gentle simmer — never a rolling boil, or the coconut milk will split — then cover, turn the heat to low, and simmer for 25 minutes, turning the chicken once halfway. The sauce should thicken to coat a spoon and the chicken should be tender all the way through.
If the sauce looks grainy, the heat is too high; take the pot off the heat for a minute and stir before continuing.
Done when: Chicken reaches 74°C (165°F) at the thickest part and pulls apart easily with a fork.
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5
Rest and Garnish
7 Mins
No heat — rest off the stove, about 20°C (68°F)
Take the pot off the heat, lift out the lemongrass, bay leaves and lime leaves, and taste the sauce. Add a pinch more salt or palm sugar if it needs balance, then rest for 5 minutes so the sauce settles. Scatter the fried shallots over the top just before serving.
Fish out the leaves now — left in, the bay leaves turn bitter as the dish cools.
Done when: Sauce is glossy and coats the chicken; the dish smells warmly of coconut and galangal.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Spoon the chicken and its creamy sauce into a warm serving bowl and scatter the fried shallots over the top. Serve hot with steamed rice so the sauce has somewhere to go.
Indonesia
35m
