Kare Ayam Jawa - Javanese Chicken Curry Recipe

Kare Ayam Jawa - Javanese Chicken Curry

4.8 from 12 reviews

Categories: Main Dish

Ingredients: Chicken

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 45 mins

Total Time: 1 hour

Serves: 8

3 tablespoon oil
2 lemongrass (Indonesian: sereh), bruised and knotted
3 Indonesian bay leaves (Indonesian: daun salam)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder (Indonesian: bubuk kunyit)
1/4 teaspoon cumin powder (Indonesian: bubuk jinten)
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper (Indonesian: bubuk lada)
1 whole chicken cut into 8-12 pieces, or 4-5 chicken quarters separated into thighs and drumsticks
1 can (400 ml) coconut milk
1100 ml (4 1/2 cup) chicken stock/water
1 tablespoon coconut palm sugar (Indonesian: gula Jawa)
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon tamarind juice (1 teaspoon tamarind + 1 tablespoon water, massaged and strained)
2 kaffir lime leaves (Indonesian: daun jeruk)
Spice paste
100 gram shallot (Indonesian: bawang merah)
4 cloves garlic (Indonesian: bawang putih)
6 candlenuts (Indonesian: kemiri)
1 inch ginger (Indonesian: jahe)
1 inch galangal (Indonesian: lengkuas)
Garnish
fried shallots (Indonesian: bawang merah goreng)

Grind spice paste: Use a food processor to grind shallots, garlic, candlenuts, ginger, and galangal into a smooth paste.
Sauté spice paste and herbs: Heat oil in a wok over medium heat. Sauté spice paste, lemongrass, daun salam, turmeric, cumin, and pepper for 3-5 minutes, or until fragrant.
Add chicken: Add chicken into the wok. Stir, and cook until the chicken is no longer pink.
Add coconut milk and seasonings: Pour in coconut milk, chicken stock/water, tamarind juice, and season with salt and coconut palm sugar. Once it boils, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the chicken is tender and the sauce is reduced and thick.
Garnish and serve: Stir in kaffir lime leaves. Turn off the heat and transfer the curry to a serving bowl. Garnish with fried shallots and serve it immediately with steamed white rice.