Ayam Masak Merah (Malaysian Chicken in Spicy Tomato Sauce)
This vibrant, fragrant curry from Malaysia is bursting with South East Asian personality. A rich, tangy and spicy sauce coats juicy chicken. It's intensely flavourful and authentically delicious.
Soak the red chillies for 10 minutes in 1/2 cup just boiled water, then drain.Add them to a food processor with all the other paste ingredients and blend until smooth. Alternatively, use a stick blender to blend them together.----You can also pound until smooth in a pestle and mortar, starting with the chillies, galangal and ginger then shallots, candlenuts, garlic, shrimp paste and sugar one by one.
To make the curry
In a wok or saucepan, heat the oil until hot then add the curry paste along with half the coconut milk. Fry for 5 minutes until the raw onion smell is gone. Add the chicken, lime leaves, lemongrass and salt and cook for a further 5 minutes.
Add the tomato, remaining coconut milk and 1 cup of water and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 30 more minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thick and creamy. Add a little water if the sauce thickens too much.
Stir in the tamarind pulp and simmer for 1 minute.
Remove from he heat and serve, scattered with cilantro with lots of fluffy jasmine rice.
Video
Notes
Better flavour
Make a day ahead - the flavour is even better once it's sat in the fridge for 24 hours. Trust me!
Alternative suggestions
Store bought curry paste - Thai red curry paste makes for a great alternative to blending your own. They have a similar taste profile so if you're short on time, this is a good option.
Stir-in additions - At the end you can stir in some fresh tomatoes to accentuate the red colour and give a burst of freshness. Be sure to also squeeze over some fresh lime too to bring a pop of zing.
Make it a seafood recipe - Instead of chicken, try shrimp/prawns or fish. When the sauce has been simmering for 20 minutes, add the seafood and cook for 5-10 minutes until cooked through.
Storage
Freezing - This curry freezes well, simply portion up and cook for 5-7 minutes in the microwave from frozen or until piping hot. Serve with rice or Indian bread. The curry will stay good for 3-4 months in the freezer.
Refrigeration - The curry will be good in the fridge for 3-4 days.