My Mother's Chicken & Vegetable Curry
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes (concurrent)
Serves 6 people
- 2 large onions, peeled and diced
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and diced
- 4 slices galangal
- 2 sticks lemongrass, white part sliced down the centre and bashed a bit with end of knife
- 5 tablespoons curry powder (I use Baba's meat curry powder, available from Asian grocery stores)
- 1 tablespoon ground turmeric
- 1.5 kilos chicken pieces
- 1 eggplant, diced
- 2x 400ml/14floz tins coconut milk (go for the more expensive one as that will have a good head of cream on top, my mother likes Chef's Choice)
- Salt or fish sauce to taste
- Sugar to taste
- Two sprigs of curry leaves
Lemongrass & Coconut Rice
- 2 cups rice
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 1 stick lemongrass, white part only, chopped finely
- 150ml/5ozs. coconut milk or cream
Step 1 - Add 3 tablespoons of oil to a very large pot. Fry the galangal and lemongrass for a couple of minutes. Mix the onion and garlic with the curry powder and turmeric and then add this with some more oil and fry for a minute. Add the chicken pieces, a few tablespoons of water and turn to coat in the curry paste.
Step 2 - Open the coconut milk and remove the cream from the top and set aside. Add the thinner milk to the pot and then top with enough chicken stock to cover the chicken. Place the lid on and simmer for 25 minutes. Then add the eggplant chunks and allow them to cook for 5 minutes or until soft.
Step 3 - Meanwhile make the coconut rice. Rinse the rice and then add the chicken stock, lemongrass and coconut milk or cream and heat until boiling with the lid on. reduce heat to very low and allow to steam for 15 minutes without removing the lid. Fluff with a fork.
Step 4 - Remove the lid from the pot and add the thick part of the coconut milk. Season with salt or fish sauce and sugar to taste (my mother puts up to 1 tablespoon of each). Top with curry leaves.