Malaysian Chicken Curry

I have to be one of the luckiest chefs around because I get to work with other chefs who also create wonderful food and inspire me. It's a treasure to share with people who are generous and my friend and chef Wanitha Tanasingam does just that..gives..gives and gives......... This recipe is one of many that we did in a duo class on Malaysian cooking. She is one of those people who should run for politics as she is about inspiration. Check out www.victorsfood.com.au for a few of her upcoming cooking classes or go to www.wanitha.com to find out more about her. And please make her chicken curry recipe.

Kari Ayam
(Chicken Curry)

Ingredients
2 kg chicken pieces with bones
2 Spanish onions, finely diced
4 cloves garlic
3 cm ginger
4 tbsp ghee
2 whole star anise
1 cinnamon stick
2 springs curry leaves
1 strip pandan leaves, crushed and tied into a knot

Spice Mixture
3 tsp chilli paste (about 6-8 red chillies, blended)
2 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground turmeric
1½ tsp fennel seed, ground
1 cup water
2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp pepper
2 cups tomato puree
2 cups coconut milk

Method
1. To make the Spice Mixture, mix the chilli paste, cumin, turmeric, fennel, water, salt and pepper. Marinate the chicken pieces in the mixture for 20-30 minutes.
2. Blend the onion, garlic and ginger into a fine paste.
3. Warm the oil in a large saucepan, add the star anise, cinnamon stick, curry leaves and pandan leaves and sauté briefly. Add the onion paste and continue to sauté.
4. Add the chicken to the pan. Toss until all of the chicken is well coated with the rest of the ingredients.
5. Cover and cook, returning to stir often. Add a bit of the tomato puree and coconut milk each time you stir.
6. Continue cooking covered, stirring often, until chicken is well cooked.

Serves 6