Gulai Darat Ayam Che' Siti Wan Kembang
( Chicken in Thick Spiced Gravy )
Unlike the states of the West Coast of Peninsular Malaysia which are famous for ' Rendang ', here, in the North East State Kelantan , is known for its ' Gulai Darat '. It is the inseparable dish to the Nasi Dagang. Its thick, brownish yet spicy taste is the perfect companion to the soft and rich creamy rice. While the traditional ' Rendang ' in comparison, used more herbs and is drier in texture, the ' Gulai Darat ' has more gravy. It's brownish colored gravy developed from the ' kerisik ' added while the extra galangal distinguished its flavor .
The ingredients
- 1 kg of chicken / beef - clean and cut into serving portion . ( Up to one preference )
- Blend
- 10/ 15 shallot
- 5 cloves of garlic
- 3 stalks of lemon grass
- 2 -3 cm of galangal
- 1 inch of ginger
- 1 inch of fresh turmeric
- 1 tablespoon - toasted and ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon - toasted and ground cumin and fennel seed
- 10 strips of died chilies - wash and boil to soften
- A stalk / bunch of fresh Vietnamese mint leaves
- An inch of galangal - bruised
- 1 cup of fresh thick coconut milk
- 1 cup of water or 2 cups for extra gravy
- 1/2 cup of ' kerisik ' - toasted grated coconut
- 3 /4 asam gelugor / 1 small bowl of thick tamarind juice
- salt and palm sugar to taste
To do
In a pot , add in the chicken pieces , the blended ingredients , the kerisik , the tamarind juice , the bruised galangal , salt and palm sugar . Mix the ingredients and simmer until the chicken meat is tender and juice reduced . Once reduced , add in the coconut milk and vietnamese leaves. Stir and simmer until the coconut milk is cooked . Off the heat and serve with Nasi Dagang .
