Creamy Indonesian Chicken Gulai

Title: Indonesian Chicken Gulai

Ingredients:

• 1/2 kg chicken, cut into pieces
• 2 potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 5 long beans (kacang panjang), cut into pieces
• 1 piece ginger (thumb-sized), bruised
• 1 piece galangal (lengkuas), bruised
• 3 kaffir lime leaves
• 2 bay leaves
• 200 ml thick coconut milk (santan kental)
• 1 stalk lemongrass (serai), bruised
• Salt and sugar to taste

Spice Paste (Bumbu Halus):

• 6 shallots
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 thumb-sized turmeric (kunyit)
• 4 bird’s eye chilies (cabe rawit)
• 3 candlenuts (kemiri)

Steps:

1. Prepare the Spice Paste: Grind shallots, garlic, turmeric, bird’s eye chilies, and candlenuts into a smooth paste.

2. Cooking the Gulai:

   • Heat some oil in a pan and sauté the spice paste, lemongrass, bay leaves, kaffir lime leaves, ginger, and galangal until fragrant.
   • Add the chicken pieces and cook until the chicken changes color.
   • Pour in enough water to cover the chicken and add the thick coconut milk. Simmer until the chicken is partially cooked.

3. Adding Vegetables:

   • Add the potatoes and cook for a few minutes before adding the long beans.
   • Season with salt and sugar according to your taste preference.

4. Simmer Until Thickened:

   • Continue simmering until the sauce thickens and the chicken and vegetables are fully cooked.

5. Serving:

   • Once thickened to your liking, remove from heat and serve hot.

Note: Indonesian Chicken Gulai is best served with steamed rice. Enjoy the rich and aromatic flavors of this traditional Indonesian dish!