About the Recipe
This healthy, low-fat variation of opor ayam, a classic Indonesian poultry dish uses low-fat milk in place of coconut milk.
Ingredients
Whole chicken – ½, about 600 g (1 Ib 5⅓ oz), skinned and chopped into 8 pieces
For the Marinade
Tamarind pulp – 1 Tbsp, mixed with 2-3 Tbsp water and strained
Salt – ⅕ tsp
For the Opor curry paste
Cooking oil – 2 Tbsp
Garlic – 2 cloves, peeled and finely chopped
Shallots – 2, peeled and finely sliced
Ginger – 2.5 cm (1-in) knob, peeled and finely sliced
Galangal – 2.5 cm (1-in) knob, peeled and finely sliced
Candlenuts – 4, roasted and coarsely pounded
Ground coriander – 1 tsp
Ground cumin – ½ tsp
Salt – a pinch
Lemon grass – 2 stalks, tough outer leaves removed, ends trimmed and finely chopped
Kaffir lime leaves – 3, finely shredded
Bay leaf – 1
Low-fat milk – 100 ml (3½ fl oz / ⅗ cup)
Chillies – for garnish
Preparation
Step 1
Place chicken in a large mixing bowl. Add marinade ingredients and rub into chicken to season thoroughly. Leave to marinate for 20 minutes, then drain marinade and set chicken aside.
Step 2
Prepare curry paste. In a wok, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and shallots and fry until fragrant, then add ginger and galangal and fry for another 2 minutes.
Step 3
Add candlenuts, coriander, cumin, salt, lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves and bay leaf and toss gently to mix well. Reduce heat to low and stir-fry for 20 minutes.
Step 4
Add milk and stir to mix well. Increase heat and bring to the boil, then reduce heat to low and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
Step 5
Pour cooled curry paste over chicken and season by rubbing in thoroughly. Leave for at least 2 hours.
Step 6
Preheat oven to 150°C (300°F).
Step 7
Bake chicken for 30 minutes, or until chicken is tender and juices run dear when thickest part of chicken is pricked with a fork. Reserve drippings to use as gravy, if desired.
Step 8
Serve immediately.
Source:
A Cookbook for Diabetics by dietitian and a chef - Magdalin Cheong & Daniel Yeo