Curry is much more than just a popular dish in Singapore.
It managed to grace the political stage in August 2011, after the Singapore government stepped in to give its two cents on the uproar following a neighbourly dispute over curry. Since the fateful spat that led up to that incident, many Singaporeans support Cook and Share a Pot of Curry Day every August.
Don’t get me wrong, curry does not make a daily appearance in our meals like it may in the cuisines of other cultures (e.g. Indian culture). But thanks to a wide array of contributors to Singapore’s cultural melting pot of cuisines, Singaporeans are well-exposed to a slew of curries ranging from the thinner curries of South Asia to the thicker curries typical of northern India and Japan.
Malay-style Curries
You can choose from a wide range of Malay curries at any 'Nasi Padang Food Stall' in hawker centres or food courts. Malay-style curries are coconut-based, and tend to be a little watery and on the sweeter side.
Indonesian curries
Indonesian curries are similar to the thinner Malay curries, but are made from a milder mix of spices. I've heard that they don't fancy having cumin in their curry mix (correct me if I'm wrong)! :)
Indian curries
Indian curries can be divided into two broad categories:-
Northern Indian curries that are thick, rich gravies based regularly on yogurt. . .
. . . and Southern Indian curries that are watery like the Malay curries, but more on the salty side.
Even the Chinese are in on the Curry Game
The Hainanese Chinese are famous for their delicious 'scissors cut curry rice' which is basically delightfully creamy, mild curry ladled over a plateful of rice and ingredients like pork chop, stewed belly pork, and fried egg. Most of these yummy ingredients are cut up with a pair of scissors upon order, hence the name.
Another Chinese community, the Peranakan Chinese (a.k.a. Straits-born Chinese), comprises the descendants of Chinese immigrants who built up their lives and heritage on the Malay archipelago. Their version of the chicken curry has become so famous that it is today regularly referred to as the iconic 'Singapore Chicken Curry'.
Many Nyonya curries (as curries from the Peranakan community are called) add assam paste. This paste is made from assorted spices and tamarind, which impart a sourish flavour. Curries that use assam paste are infused with an underlying tangy flavour. My mom enjoys this flavour thoroughly, but it is not my favourite.
Singaporeans also enjoy easy access to both the thin, fragrant curries of Thailand and the thick milk-based curries of Japan. Although highly popular, these are more recent additions to our food scene. As such, it would be improper for me to put them under the big umbrella of our traditional curry heritage.
If I had to choose my favourite curry style. . .
I would, of course, pick the famous one that has even been dubbed as ‘Singapore Curry Chicken’. This curry has a orangey-yellow hue with red oil floating on top. When you dip your spoon in, it collides with big chunks of potato and pieces of chicken leg. Yummm
A curry of Peranakan origins, this one tastes like the authentic flavours of Indian curry crossed with the aroma of Chinese spices (in particular, anise, ginger, cassia, and Sichuan pepper). It is creamy, not too strong, not too thick, and clean-tasting — a perfect curry to eat over rice, or alongside either roti prata (fried dough pancakes*, roti jala (lacy net pancakes), or a fresh french loaf.
I'm a FOODIE, not a professional cook!
I have never scraped together a curry paste from scratch, preferring the convenience of pre-made curry pastes. Nevertheless, convenience is never an excuse for an ordinary pot of curry. Through trial and error, I’ve learned a secret or two that adds additional layers of flavour to the basic chicken curry. The big secret? Leftover juices, bones, and skin of baked paprika chicken :))
I call my recipe 'Quick Singapore Chicken Curry' only because I don't make my own curry paste
I like to use my coveted Prima Taste brand Singapore Curry paste. I’ve searched high and low for this curry paste in all the Asian supermarkets in Düsseldorf that I know of, but to no avail. Last week, I found it finally in an Asian supermarket in Maastricht, NL. I was elated!! If you can’t find this curry paste in your city (A very probable scenario) you can substitute for yellow curry or for a spicier curry, red curry.
Note: a proper chicken curry needs to be simmered for a while to allow the flavours to get to know each other better. My chicken curry recipe won't be done in 30 minutes, but it contains a shortcut.
Everything you need to make a Quick Singapore Chicken Curry:
5 baked paprika chicken marylands (whole chicken legs)
2 Tbsp butter
240gm (2 medium) red onions, chopped
100 gm (2 small carrots), diced small
20 gm (3 cloves) garlic, roughly minced
120 ml juice from baked chicken marylands
650 gm (3 medium) potatoes, cubed
170gm curry paste
300 ml coconut milk
200 ml water
5 gm (1 tsp) white sugar
2 gm (approx 1/2 tsp) salt
2 gm (approx 1/2 tsp) ground black pepper
1 dash five-spice powder
How to make it:
First, you are going to break the chicken marylands down into (1) largely shredded meat pieces and (2) skin & bones.
To do this, pull back the chicken skin.
Tear off all visible meat with your fingers (discard the veins if you’re squeamish about eating those..I am).
Set skin & bones aside.
Once your chicken is prepared, heat butter in a medium pot and make sure bottom and lower sides of pot are coated. Add in diced onions and carrots and 1/2 tsp salt and black pepper. Saute till fragrant and onion is soft (about 4-5 min).
Add in minced garlic, chicken skin & bones, and baked chicken juices. Simmer on low heat till carrots are soft (approx 13-15 min).
Add curry paste, diced potatoes, coconut milk, and water. Bring to a boil for 2 minutes.
Add white sugar, five-spice powder, and shredded chicken. Simmer for 45 minutes.
As the chicken curry simmers, skim off excess oil with a flat spoon into a bowl to discard.
Taste test once more and add salt, sugar or anything else to your taste, if you like :)
Serve immediately, or reheat the next day. In my opinion, curry always tastes better the day after, when all the flavours have had ample time to get to know one another.
Note: If you do not have the time or energy to bake your own chicken before making a pot of curry, you can try substituting the following:
(1) Equal amount of Liquid Chicken Stock for the Baked Chicken Juices
(2) 5 Deli Chicken Marylands for the Baked Paprika Marylands
Disclaimer: I have not actually tried my recipe with the substitutes mentioned above, but a friend of mine who was pressed for time made the curry with these substitutes and still loved it. :)
What's YOUR favourite curry?
I made a heart out of the chopped carrot and onion pieces especially for all my readers. Yes, that includes YOU! <3
Follow @Foodie.warrior along on this journey.
I feature true blue Singaporean dishes and sharing recipes. Here are my other posts in this series:
Unravelling the Mystery of Singaporean Food: Launch of the SHIOK SHIOK series :)
SHIOK SHIOK #1: Har Cheong Gai - a 'Zhi Char' favourite of Singapore (contains recipe and verdict)
SHIOK SHIOK #2: Avocado Juice - Best Drink to Make with the Fruit of the Mayan Gods