Who doesn’t love Indonesian chicken curry? Indonesia is known as a culture-rich country, and of course it includes its cuisine. You can find a variety of culinary delights, ranging from desserts to mouth-watering main courses, such as chicken curry or usually people call it gulai ayam.
This dish is usually combined with steamed rice or rice roll or they call itn lotong. Not only served in Padang restaurants, but chicken curry is also a common dish during Eid al-Fitr, family gatherings, hosting guests, or simply a daily meal.
If you’re curious about how to make this dish, here’s a chicken gulai recipe that is simple and easy to try at home.
What is Indonesian Chicken Curry?
You may have heard that there are several versions of curry recipes. Chicken curry dishes have spread widely in many countries around the world with their own signature flavors. The texture of Indonesian curry paste tends to be thick. Since it has a combination of seasonings and spices, it gives a savory and flavourful taste.
Besides chicken, the other main ingredients you can choose to make curry are fish, beef or even lambs. Adding vegetables, young jackfruit leaves and cassava leaves to curry are great too. It’s not surprising to find a wide variety of curries cooked in every Padang dish. Additionally, the curry spices of each region in Indonesia also have their own characteristics. But it is usually in a similar flavor or only has a slight difference.
Indonesian Chicken Gulai Recipe
If you plan to cook chicken gulai, make sure to check the recipe below. The first thing to do is to make sure you have all the ingredients. The curry spices are the key elements to the savoriness of this dish. Remember to not miss any ingredients behind.
Ingredients:
– 1 kg chicken bone-in
– 2 potatoes cut into large squares
– 200 ml thick coconut milk
– 500 ml light coconut milk
– 3 bay leaves 4
– 5 lime leaves
– 1 turmeric leaf
– 2 pieces of lemongrass
– 1 tablespoon of salt
– 1 tablespoon sugar
– One cup of chicken broth
– Oil to sauté the spices
The Spices
– 100 grams of red chili
– 10 pieces of onion
– 2 pieces of garlic
– 3 cm turmeric
– 1 cm ginger
– 2 cm galangal
– 2 candlenuts
– ½ tablespoon roasted coriander
This recipe uses some typical Padang (Minang) ingredients, such as ginger, turmeric, and lemongrass so that the taste remains authentic. Aromatic leaves such as lime leaves, bay leaves, or turmeric leaves are also added to make the aroma more delightful to the chicken.
How To Make Gulai Ayam
Once you’ve prepared the spices and ingredients, it’s time to cook the chicken curry. Check the following steps!
- Cut the chicken into 8 pieces then marinate the chicken with lime juice and ½ tablespoon of salt. Put the chicken aside in a different bowl.
- Sauté all the spices until it smells aromatic. Then, add galangal, bay leaves, lime leaves, and turmeric leaves into the wok. Stir carefully until everything is fully cooked.
- Put the marinated chicken into the wok. Cook the chicken until it turns brown.
- Pour coconut milk slowly, add chicken flavored broth powder, and sugar as necessary. Stir evenly and cook over low heat.
- Add the potatoes and cook until slightly softened.
- When the chicken and potatoes are well cooked, adjust the flavor. If you think it’s already seasoned enough, then take the heat off. The chicken curry is ready to serve.
Tips for Making Special Indonesian Chicken Curry
After reading the recipe, let’s see what tips you can do to make the most authentic cuisine. Without further ado, here they are:
1. Choose Ayam Kampung
It would be best if you choose chicken kampung to get fresh, fatty, thick, and juicy meat. You have to try chicken kampung curry since it will give an extra flavor to the curry .
2. Use Low-heat
To make chicken more tender and cook faster, you can pressure cook a whole chicken for 35-40 minutes. Afterwards, cut the chicken into pieces and cook with spices on low heat. When cooking chicken curry, always use low heat to ensure the spices are absorbed perfectly.
3. The Consistency Level of Coconut Milk
The creaminess of the coconut milk may depend on your preference. However, it’s important to keep in mind that the coconut milk used should be neither too thick nor too light, but just right.
4. Stir Gently
Don’t forget to stir the curry slowly after adding the coconut milk. Be careful not to break it as this can affect the flavor quality.
Let’s Cook Indonesian Chicken Curry Now!
Now that you know the recipe for making delicious Indonesian chicken curry, you can enjoy your best meal ever. For even more efficiency, consider using bumbu instan gulai, which makes cooking your curry faster and hassle-free. It’s the perfect choice for instant seasoning. Try it now!
FAQ
- How long does curry chicken last?
If you want to keep the curry for a longer time, you can store it in the fridge where it can last up to 4 hours. If you need more, you can place the curry in the freezer. This method can provide a longer consuming time. - Is curry healthy to eat?
Generally, curry is made of chicken, fish, or meat and mixed with some vegetables in a spiced sauce. So, this dish contains a lot of nutrients, proteins, and minerals that are good for your body. - Which part of chicken is best for curry?
The best parts of chicken for curry are chicken thigh and drumstick. These chicken parts are also a favorite for most people because the skin and fats are juicy and super yummy. - How does curry affect the body?
Curry chicken doesn’t make you fatter. Although this food tends to be oily, the curry powder in the marinade can actually reduce cholesterol. It’s no surprise that consuming chicken curry provides great benefits to the body. - How to make the chicken curry taste better?
To get the most flavorful taste, you must ensure that you choose fresh ingredients. Then, put all the spices listed in the recipe and add sweetened such as honey or sugar.