Nyonya Curry Chicken

Cut the dried chilies in half, remove the seeds, and soak them in hot water for 3-5 minutes to soften. Drain and set aside.

Deseed and slice the red chilies. Slice the lemongrass, ginger, turmeric, large onion, and garlic. Peel and roughly chop the shallots.

Combine the softened dried chilies, red chilies, lemongrass, ginger, turmeric, garlic, candlenuts, and large onion in a blender. Add 50ml of water and blend until a smooth paste is formed.

Cut the chicken into desired pieces. Peel the potatoes and cut them into wedges.

Heat 4 tablespoons of cooking oil in a wok. Fry the potato wedges until their skin starts to wrinkle, then remove them from the wok and set aside.

Discard the used oil and add 2 tablespoons of fresh cooking oil to the wok. Sauté the chopped shallots until fragrant, but not golden brown.

Add the blended curry paste, star anise, and cinnamon stick to the wok. Cook on low heat, stirring continuously with a spatula, until the water evaporates and oil separates from the paste (approximately 5-10 minutes).

Add the chicken pieces to the fragrant curry paste. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until the chicken is well coated and slightly cooked.

Add 200ml of water to the wok, ensuring it covers the chicken. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low.

Add the fried potato wedges to the curry. Cover the wok and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until the chicken is cooked through and the potatoes are soft.

Season the curry with 1 teaspoon of salt, 2 teaspoons of sugar, and 1.5 tablespoons of light soy sauce. Stir well and taste, adjusting seasonings as needed.

Stir in 2 tablespoons of coconut milk. Bring the curry to a quick boil, then turn off the heat immediately.

Serve the Nyonya Curry Chicken hot with rice.