A Malaysian curry for Bonnie

( This is part of a new project – virtual cooking for friends during #COVID19

This current coronavirus pandemic means that for many of us, disabled people with social isolation, are restricted to virtual meetings.

As it means no eating together – here’s a new project in that we would cook a dish with the friend in mind and share it here. The recipes here are not expert cooking but shared with love.)

My friend, Bonnie Chiu, is from Hong Kong. We have worked on co production projects. We ‘ve also been to different events together and most importantly, I was invited to her wedding!

I was telling her about this project and she told me she’d like a Malaysian curry chicken! Now I think I can manage that. Not sure if Malaysian friends agree with me, but here goes.

Ingredients

cut up chicken portions (from 1 small chicken, I prefer free range corn fed chicken)
Malaysian curry powder (found in Asian supermarkets and on Amazon)
Coconut milk /cream
– 10 cloves of garlic (depends on how garlicky you want it ot be)
– stick of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped finely
– at least 5/6 shallots
5 star anise
1 stick of cinnamon
5 pieces of tamarind soaked (or juice or paste)
4/5 tablespoons neutral oil

ingredients on a round plate: chicken pieces. chopped shallots, chopped garlic, chopped ginger, curry poweder in a packet (kari ayam, adabi brand), tin of coconut milk, with spices - cinnamon,  tamarind, cloves, snar anise.
ingredients on a round plate: chicken pieces. chopped shallots, chopped garlic, chopped ginger, curry poweder in a packet (kari ayam, adabi brand), tin of coconut milk, with spices – cinnamon, tamarind, cloves, snar anise.

cooking method

First step

Prepare all the ingredients. James used a few kitchen utensils here – apart from a spatula, he easo used tongs and a spoon.

Heat up the wok or pan with vegetable oil. Best not to use olive oil which will be too strong tasting. fry the ginger, garlic and shallots gently. This is best ground together but I stepped away at the moment and forgot to tell the PA that step. Add the curry powder making sure it doesn’t get burnt by adding more oil if necessary.

second step

Add the chicken at this point. Keep stirring – this is where you need someone with a strongish wrist! Add more oil if it looks dry and also the water used to soaked the tamarind. After a few minutes, add the rest of the spices and the coconut milk. Give it a good stir.

third step

Leave the curry to simmer for at least 20 minutes. In the meantime, you can prepare whatever you want to accompany the dish. I had some rice prepared and some tomatoes and crispy fried onion flakes. Season to taste. When I have more fresh vegetables, I like it with a fresh salad and /or with cucumber.

Malaysian chicken curry with onion flakes and cherry tomatoes  on a blue plate
Malaysian chicken curry with onion flakes and cherry tomatoes

Hope you like it, Bonnie.

By Eleanor, assisted by James.

photo of East Asian woman on wheelchair holding a spatula awkwardly frying lardons in a wok. Behind her is a loaded sink and a microwave.
Eleanor Lisney

Eleanor ‘s love for all types of cuisine comes from being Malaysian born and bred. She started to cook at university at Canterbury and learn about French cuisine when she was a stay at home mum for more than 10 years in Strasbourg, France.

She finds cooking on her own more problematic and gets her PAs / friends to help her do the heavy work so she can do some cooking from her wheelchair.

.

photo of cooked spinach leaves on a white plate and a fork with the word cuisine

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4 thoughts on “A Malaysian curry for Bonnie”

  1. Thanks so much Eleanor, for the wonderful recipe! I followed the steps, added aubergine, and it turned out perfectly. It wouldn’t be possible without your curry powder though. The flavours of this dish were so layered: sour, sweet, spicy; and the consistency is perfect. My partner said that it was the best curry I ever made!

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