Chicken Massaman Curry

28 April 2020 By

This one of a kind, delicious Chicken Massaman Curry may look like it has loads of ingredients, a number of stages and many steps in the method, but its really worthwhile and should make your massaman pop with flavour.

With COVID-19 restrictions easing across most of the country, we can now enjoy a bit of casual entertaining. This is especially fortunate because our poor hospitality industry is still under dine-in lockdown or only allowing a tiny number of patrons. If you’re planning to have a couple of people over for a meal, to celebrate being allowed to have visitors in your home, here’s a dish I’d love to suggest you make.

Ingredients − Serves 6 to 8

  • 3 whole mace
  • 5 green cardamom pods
  • 2 lemongrass, bashed and cut into 2
  • 8 cloves whole garlic, peeled and roasted
  • 2 or more long fresh red chillies, charred
  • 20 small red shallots (about 250 g), peeled and char roasted
  • 6 chicken thighs
  • 6 chicken drumsticks
  • 6 Ruby Red potatoes, peeled, cut in half and boiled
  • 200ml coconut cream – use a good Thai brand such as Chaokoh, Aroy-D, Mae Ploy or Savoy
  • 4 cups (1 litre) coconut milk – Chaokoh, Aroy-D, Mae Ploy or Savoy brand
  • 1 jar Latasha’s Kitchen Thai Massaman Curry Paste
  • 2½ tbsp ghee
  • 1 cup unsalted peanuts
  • 2 handfuls fresh coriander, chopped
  • 4-5 dark green grilled/charred green peppers

Combine together in a bowl and macerate for 1 hour

  • 1 cup sultanas or raisins (optional)
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp palm sugar, crushed
  • 1 tbsp tamarind paste
  • 1 cup bitter orange juice

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Method

  1. Heat fan-forced oven grill until hot.
  2. Brush or spray a baking tray with some oil then place shallots, red chillies and garlic on the tray and grill until charred, golden and soft.
  3. Cool, then roughly blend together half the shallots and chillies, and all the garlic.
  4. In a large pot, simmer the chicken in coconut cream and milk until it is just cooked, approx. 20 minutes.
  5. In another large pot, heat ghee over medium heat. Add mace, cardamom, lemongrass, blended shallots and garlic from Step 3 then Latasha’s Kitchen Thai Massaman Curry Paste and fry for 10 minutes until fragrant.
  6. Gradually add chicken coconut broth from Step 4 and continue frying until it’s all incorporated into the curry.
  7. Keep stirring until some beautiful red oil floats to the top then add the cooked chicken.
  8. Add the remaining whole charred shallots, charred red chillies and potatoes.
  9. Mix in macerated fruit (if using) and all the liquid, then cook gently until the curry thickens to the desired consistency.
  10. Scatter with unsalted peanuts, fresh coriander and charred green chili peppers. Serve with jasmine rice and steamed vegetables.

TIP: You can pan fry the chicken first, before simmering it in the coconut milk. And likewise for the potatoes after boiling them and before adding to the curry.