Nasi Kunyit (Turmeric Rice with Chicken Curry)

Nasi kunyit is a traditional dish of Malay and Peranakan origins that is often served during celebration and auspicious events. Serving Nasi kunyit also marks the celebration of the end of a Mother’s confinement period and the first month of the newborn’s life or also known as baby full moon. The curry chicken is also a main dish that is served during most Chinese festivals and Peranakan events.

INGREDIENTS

Nasi Kunyit

200g glutinous rice
1 tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp white pepper
½ tsp salt
100ml coconut cream
2 pandan leaves (tied in a knot)

Spice Paste A

1 stalk lemongrass (finely sliced)
35gm shallots (coarsely chopped)
2 fresh red chillies (coarsely chopped)

Spice Mix B

1 tbsp dried chilli powder
1 tbsp coriander powder
¾ tbsp fennel powder
¼ tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp cumin powder

Other Ingredients

1/3 cup coconut milk
1 cup water
1 tsp salt
4 to 5 tbsp cooking oil
1 inch cinnamon stick
2 points of star anise (just the pointy sides, not the entire star)
2 cloves
600g chicken – (chopped into bite sized pieces)
2 potatoes (peeled and cut into quarters)

INSTRUCTIONS

Preparing Nasi Kunyit:

1. Wash the glutinous rice and soak with turmeric powder for at least 2 hours.
2. Boil water in a steamer for 15 minutes. Place a muslin cloth inside the steamer and evenly spread the soaked rice onto the cloth.
3. To cool down the rice, use your finger or a spoon to make holes in the rice. Steam for 15 minutes and then sprinkle the rice with some water and mix into the rice. Steam for a further 15 minutes.
4. Add half of the coconut cream to the rice and mix well. Steam for a further 15 minutes.
5. Finally, add the remaining coconut cream, salt and white pepper to the rice and mix well and steam for another 3 minutes with the pandan leaves.

Preparing the Chicken Curry:

1. Grind or blend spice paste A ingredients together. Add in water (a third of the height of the paste).
2. Add spice mix B ingredients in and mix well with a spoon (adding powder to the wet paste will help to dry it out). Rest for 15 minutes.
3. Mix 20ml coconut cream with 270ml water to make a light coconut milk. Set aside 70ml of coconut cream.
4. In a pot or wok and cooking oil, cinnamon stick, star anise and cloves and fry quickly at medium heat. Add the spice mix and saute. Keep stirring to prevent the paste from sticking to the sides of the wok or pan.
5. When the bubbles become smaller, add in the chicken. Keep stirring to make sure the chicken is coated with the curry paste. Maintain heat on medium to avoid burning the chicken.
6. Add the light coconut milk and potatoes and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to medium to allow the chicken to cook and reduce the gravy by half (this should take about 20 minutes).
7. When the chicken is tender add salt and the remaining 70ml of coconut milk and bring to the boil for 2 minutes. Serve warm with nasi kunyit.