Chicken Curry Stew (Stew Ayam Kari)

Hello Cooks!  As you all know, I am an Indian by race.  I also married an Indian man.  Curry has to be my favourite, whether I like it or not.  So, yes, yes, this is again a CURRY recipe!!  Hooray!!  Hehe...but don't worry.  Although it is a curry recipe, it is not VERY CURRY!  This dish happened one day when I was feeling like curry but not so curry.  Don't be confused, this is not a curry advertisement hehe... ;p even though the topic is still somewhat..uh..curry! ;p What I meant was I had wanted to cook chicken soup but in a more curry way.  Or was it chicken curry but in a more soupy way?  Hehe...whatever lah! Haha! 

I am sure you all know that the usual chicken curry would have a strong curry taste and texture and I didn't want that.  So, I decided to get adventurous and did a stew out of curry.  And guess what?  It turned out marvelous!  Well, at least for my taste bud!  My son and my husband enjoyed it and it goes well with white rice or white bread. 

I wasn't really into potatoes and carrots that day but I would surely add them in the next time I make this stew.  Then, it would be good enough just on its own or with a white bread or two. 

However, if you are using frozen chicken, it would be best to use a small bowl of chicken stock or add chicken cube to the small bowl of water which is used in the preparation of this dish.  As we know frozen chicken does not taste as sweet as fresh chicken so the stew may lack the sweetness of a fresh chicken.  But whatever it is, this dish is real good and best on rainy days or cold weather.  Of course, it still is just as good if you cook it on a sunny day. ;p 

So, here are the ingredients:

10-12 pieces of frozen chicken (or a whole fresh chicken cut into pieces)

4 potatoes - peeled and cut into fours

1 carrot - diagonally sliced

4 tomatoes - cut into six - divided

1 stick cinnamon - 2 to 3 cm

3 pieces cardamoms

3 pieces cloves

2 pieces star anises

2 large onions - finely sliced

2 cm ginger - finely sliced or chopped

3 garlics - finely sliced or chopped

a handful of cashews nuts - ground into a paste with a little bit of water

1/4 teacup of coconut cream - for sinners like me (or evaporated milk, if you are a saint ;p )

4 heaped tablespoons of full cream yogurt

1 small bowl of chicken stock or water with one piece of Knorr chicken cube added - optional if you are using fresh chicken
1 teaspoon of sugar (and/or Ajinamoto or seasoning, if you prefer)
salt to taste

small bunch of coriander leaves

(*to be mixed into a paste with water)

2 tablespoon meat curry powder

1 spoon chilli powder

Tempering:

2 stalks green chillies - cut into three (you can add more if you want it hot and spicy)

1 large onion - finely sliced

6 garlics with skin on - washed and crushed

3 stalks of dried red chillies - cut into three

Method:

1. Heat oil in deep based pan and add in cinnamon, star anises, cardamoms and cloves and saute for a few seconds.

2.  Add in sliced onions, chopped garlic and ginger and saute.

3.  Once the onions are withered, add in the curry and chilli powder paste and stir fry. 

4.  Add in the chicken pieces.

5.  Fold the chicken into the sauteing mixture to coat and stir fry for about a minute.

6.  Add in the coconut cream (or evaporated milk ;p) and yogurt. 

7.  Add in chicken stock or bowl of water with added chicken cube (I added slightly more water as I like more gravy).  Add in teaspoon of sugar, salt to taste and seasoning if you prefer.  Give a stir to properly mix.  If you are adding potatoes and carrots, you may add them in now.

8.  Cover your pan and leave it over medium fire for about fifteen minutes.  You can lift up the lid to give a stir once in a while to prevent the coconut cream from curdling.

9.  After fifteen minutes, add in the cashew nut paste.

10.  Give a stir and add in half of the cut tomatoes.  This is to allow the juices from the tomatoes to be released and mixed with the stew. Place the lid back on and let simmer for another ten minutes or until the chicken pieces are cooked whilst stirring every now and then.

11.  Once the chicken are cooked.  Do a taste check and add salt if needed.  Off fire.

12.  Heat oil in pan and add in tempering ingredients with a pinch of salt and saute until onions are properly caramelized.

13.  Off fire and pour everything from the pan over the stew and stir in.  This tempering is meant to add flavour as well as to enhance the fragrance and taste of this stew. 

14.  Add in the chopped coriander leaves into the stew together with the remaining cut tomatoes.  Stir in.

15.  Ready to be served.

Enjoy the chicken curry stew with white rice or white bread!  Happy Kitchen-ing!!