Chicken Cooked with Curry Leaves (Ayam Masak Daun Kari)

Steps

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1. 1
   Clean curry leaves and set aside. Lightly bruise one lemongrass stalk to release its aroma. Roughly chop 3–4 small shallots, 3 garlic cloves, and 1 inch of ginger, then pound coarsely in a mortar, or use a food processor if preferred.
   ▶ ≈1:08
2. 2
   Dice 1 tomato into small pieces—it will soften during cooking and add subtle tanginess and sweetness to the sauce. Slice half a yellow onion into rings, leave 8 bird's eye chilies whole, and reserve both for garnish.
   ▶ ≈1:53
3. 3
   Cut half a chicken into 10 or so small pieces, trimming away excess fat. Season evenly with salt and turmeric powder.
   ▶ ≈2:29
4. 4
   Heat oil in a pot until very hot. Quickly fry the curry leaves for garnish until just darkening (about 1–2 seconds), then remove and drain; set aside to cool.
   ▶ ≈3:08
5. 5
   In the same hot oil, fry the chicken pieces until half-cooked and the skin begins to brown, then remove and drain. Fry in batches if needed to ensure even cooking.
   ▶ ≈3:24
6. 6
   Pour off most of the oil, leaving about half a ladle in the pot. Add the bruised lemongrass and curry leaves, sauté until fragrant. Add the crushed shallot–garlic–ginger mixture and fry over medium heat until golden and aromatic.
   ▶ ≈4:07
7. 7
   Stir in 2 tbsp chili paste and mix well. Add the oyster sauce and diced tomato, continuing to stir until the tomato begins to soften.
   ▶ ≈4:37
8. 8
   Pour in 3 tbsp red chili sauce and stir well to combine.
   ▶ ≈5:21
9. 9
   Add all the half-cooked fried chicken to the pot and stir until evenly coated with the sauce.
   ▶ ≈5:28
10. 10
    Add 5 tbsp sweet soy sauce—be conservative to avoid overshadowing the curry leaf flavor—and stir well until the color is even.
    ▶ ≈5:50
11. 11
    Add 1/2 tbsp seasoning powder and 1 tbsp brown sugar. The sugar adds both sweetness and a rich, glossy finish to the sauce.
    ▶ ≈6:11
12. 12
    Pour in enough water to create a thin gravy (traditional tip: use the rinsings of the mortar, which contain residual spice flavors), cover the pot, and simmer over low heat for 5–7 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked and the sauce has infused throughout.
    ▶ ≈6:26
13. 13
    Scatter the bird's eye chilies and onion rings over the dish, toss until the onion just begins to wilt, then turn off the heat.
    ▶ ≈6:42
14. 14
    Transfer to a serving plate and crown with the reserved crispy fried curry leaves. Serve hot with plain rice.
    ▶ ≈6:52