Chicken In Siamese Gravy (Gulai Siam Ayam)

I learn how to cook this gulai few years ago after i have it at 1st time at my godparents house at Kedah. At 1st, i thought this just like a gulai biasa je.. but totally different... very aromatic n full of green herbs.... this gulai goes well with nasi or mee hoon.... Or anything base from white rice.

Ingredients

Terung Pipit

Ingredients :

1 whole chicken (cleaned and cut to small pcs)
1/2 kg coconut milk (santan pekat atau dari 2 biji kelapa)
1 handful fresh coriander (daun ketumbar) *handful = genggam
1 handful mint leaves (daun pudina)
1 1/2 handful fresh thai basil (daun selasih)
1/2 handful kaffir lime leaves (daun limau purut)
1/2 handful daun kadok (i'm not using daun kadok coz i don't like it)
1 1/2 handful terung pipit
2 slice dried tamarind (asam keping) or Tamarind juice (air asam jawa)
1/2 cup if fish sauce (nam pla sauce) for seasoning.
1/2 cup of vegetable oil / cooking oil

blend ingredients : (finely blend)
2 cloves of garlic
5-6 shallots
1 inch ginger
1 1/2 inch galangal (lengkuas)
1 1/2 inch tumeric (kunyit) *lebih kurang 5 ketul kecil
6 stalks of lemongrass (serai) - mayang
5 - 10 birds eyes chili (cili padi) - kurangkan kalau tak suka pedas
3 tbsp chili powder - reduce to 2 tbsp untuk kurang pedas

Method :

Heat cooking oil in a pot over high heat, add blended ingredients, saute until fragrant. keep stirring to avoid the paste stick on the bottom of the pot.

Add coconut milk and add in a cup of water. Bring to boil for about 5 minutes. keep stirring this moment to have a nice and smooth gravy without any coconut lumps ( supaya santan tidak berketul2).

Once it boil, add in tamarind slice, fish sauce, and chicken. turn the heat to medium and let simmer for 10 minutes. covered. (kacau sesekali)

Add in all the fresh herbs, coriander, mint leaves, thai basil, kaffir lime leaves, daun kadok and tering pipit. Turn the heat to low and simmer for another 15 minutes or until the chicken meat soft. Add fish sauce if needed to taste.

Tips :

• Boil coconut milk until cook over high heat n stir 1st to have a nice gulai gravy, so it wouldn't create lumps. And after its well cook, you just can simmer without stirring or just stir occasionally
• No need salt, just use fish sauce to season this gulai.
• Simmer this gulai longer over low heat make the chicken meat nicer and softer.
• This gulai will taste better if make in a day ahead.