Description
Rahel’s gulai ayam is a flavorful Indonesian chicken curry made with bone-in chicken thighs simmered in a fragrant spice paste and creamy coconut milk. Infused with lemongrass, lime leaves, and a mix of warm spices, this dish offers a perfect balance of spicy, sweet, and tangy flavors, served best with steamed white rice.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Marinade
- 12 bone-in chicken thighs
- 1 lime, juiced
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Spice Paste (Bumbu)
- 4 garlic cloves
- 3 banana shallots or 6 small Asian shallots, peeled
- 3–4 large red chillies, trimmed
- 2½ cm piece of ginger, peeled
- 1 cm piece of galangal, peeled
- 5 candlenuts or macadamia nuts
Cooking Ingredients and Spices
- 2 tbsp rapeseed, sunflower or vegetable oil
- 3 lemongrass stalks, bruised and tied together
- 6 lime leaves, torn
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 cardamom pods, seeds crushed
- 1 star anise
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 50g coconut palm sugar (ideally Indonesian) or coconut sugar
- 1 tsp tamarind paste
- 400 ml coconut milk
- 200 ml water
- Steamed white rice, to serve
Instructions
- Marinate Chicken: Place the chicken thighs in a large bowl. Season them with salt, black pepper, and the lime juice. Set aside to marinate while you prepare the spice paste.
- Prepare Spice Paste (Bumbu): Peel the garlic cloves and shallots. Add them to a medium food processor along with the red chillies, ginger, galangal, and candlenuts. Blend until you achieve a smooth paste.
- Cook Spice Base: Heat oil in a large saucepan or wok over medium heat. Add the prepared spice paste, bruised lemongrass stalks, torn lime leaves, cinnamon stick, crushed cardamom seeds, star anise, and the ground spices—coriander, nutmeg, cumin, and turmeric. Fry the mixture for about 5 minutes until it becomes fragrant.
- Add Chicken and Simmer: Add the marinated chicken pieces to the spice mixture. Stir well to coat the chicken evenly in the spices and cook for 2-3 minutes. Then stir in the coconut palm sugar, tamarind paste, and 200 ml of water. Season as needed, bring the curry to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and let it simmer for 15 minutes.
- Add Coconut Milk and Finish Cooking: Pour in the coconut milk and continue to cook the curry uncovered on a low simmer for an additional 15 minutes, or until the chicken is thoroughly cooked and tender.
- Serve: Remove the curry from heat and serve hot over steamed white rice. The curry can be cooled and frozen for up to two months; when reheating, defrost thoroughly and heat until piping hot.
Notes
- The use of bone-in chicken thighs adds depth of flavor and tenderness.
- Bruising the lemongrass stalks helps to release their aromatic oils.
- If Indonesian coconut palm sugar is unavailable, regular coconut sugar is an acceptable substitute.
- Adjust the number of chillies according to your spice preference.
- The dish keeps well frozen for up to two months; ensure it is reheated thoroughly before serving.
- Serving with steamed white rice helps balance the richness of the curry.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Indonesian
Keywords: Indonesian chicken curry, gulai ayam, coconut curry, spicy chicken recipe, traditional Indonesian food, lemongrass chicken, tamarind chicken curry
