Chicken Curry with Potatoes Recipe

Cut the chicken into pieces, leaving the bone in for extra flavor (or debone it first if you prefer boneless chicken).

Peel and thinly slice the shallots.

Pound the white parts of the lemongrass stalks to release their aroma.

Peel the potatoes.

Heat a deep pot over medium-high heat and add the oil.

Sauté the sliced shallots until aromatic and lightly browned.

Add the instant curry paste (an instant Penang-style curry paste works well) and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add the chicken and pounded lemongrass, stirring for 1 minute.

Pour in the water, cover the pot, and reduce the heat to medium.

Bring the curry to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer.

Add the potatoes and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the chicken becomes tender.

Stir in the coconut milk and the curry leaves, if using, and bring back to a boil.

Serve hot. Tip: unlike Thai curries, Malaysian curry skips fish sauce and sugar and uses less coconut milk, so the spices shine through more — for even more tender, aromatic chicken, let it sit overnight and add the coconut milk the next day before serving.