Name: Ayam Kapitan (Captain’s curry)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 2 h
Total time: 2 h 30 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 2 tbsp turmeric; 1 tbsp flaky sea salt; 8 chicken legs on the bone and skin on, cut into thighs and drumsticks; 225ml vegetable oil; 500ml thick coconut milk (this must be full-fat); 2 lemongrass stalks, bruised; 4 limes leaves; 2 tbsp chicken stock powder; 2 tbsp white caster sugar; 85g tamarind paste; 40 small dried chillies seeds removed; 50g fresh ginger peeled and roughly chopped; 50g galangal peeled and roughly chopped; 4 lemongrass stalks, tender part only; 350g Thai or regular shallots roughly chopped; 25g candlenuts or macadamia nuts; 4 garlic cloves roughly chopped; 2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 tbsp turmeric
1 tbsp flaky sea salt
8 chicken legs
on the bone and skin on, cut into thighs and drumsticks
225ml vegetable oil
500ml thick coconut milk
(this must be full-fat)
2 lemongrass
stalks, bruised
4 limes
leaves
2 tbsp chicken stock
powder
2 tbsp white caster sugar
85g tamarind paste

For the spice paste

40 small dried chillies
seeds removed
50g fresh ginger
peeled and roughly chopped
50g galangal
peeled and roughly chopped
4 lemongrass
stalks, tender part only
350g Thai or regular shallots
roughly chopped
25g candlenuts or macadamia nuts
4 garlic cloves
roughly chopped
2 tbsp vegetable oil

Method

step 1
Mix the turmeric, salt and 3 tbsp water in a large non-metallic dish, then add the chicken pieces. Rub all over the chicken, cover and chill overnight, or leave at room temperature for 30 mins.
step 2
Meanwhile, make the spice paste. Soak the dried chillies in hot water for 20 mins until soft. Drain, then mix the chillies and other ingredients together in a processor or blender until smooth.
step 3
Heat the oil in a deep wok or large, heavy-based saucepan. Fry the chicken in batches for 5 mins until golden, turning halfway through. Drain the chicken on kitchen paper. Carefully remove half of the oil to a heatproof container, then add the spice paste to the remaining oil in the wok.
step 4
Fry the paste for 5 mins, then return the chicken to the pan, followed by the coconut milk, lemongrass and lime leaves. Cook for a further 5 mins, then stir in the stock powder, sugar and tamarind paste. Simmer gently for 1 hr 30 mins-1 hr 40 mins until the chicken is falling off the bones.