THE WHITE PPL CURRY
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Yes there is a back-story behind the name but I wont bore your with details in this post. If you want to read a little more about this intriguing name the full story is HERE - make sure you read the disclaimer or you'll miss the significance ;)
If you are here for the food only ... read on! This recipe is perfect for those who love their curries big on taste. The meld of flavours is absolutely fantastic.
INGREDIENTS
Meat
Approx 800g chicken thighs cubed (can substitute pork or venison)
Spice Paste
2 shallots roughly chopped
2 large cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
Small red or brown onion diced
4cm length fresh ginger, peeled and grated
4cm length of galangal
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
4 large kaffir lime leaves roughly chopped
1 stalk of lemon-grass (white part, chopped finely)
1/2 teaspoon fresh turmeric
2 green chillies roughly chopped
Approx a dozen individual curry leaves (or 1 tsp curry powder)
Other Ingredients
1 small green pepper (capsicum) chopped finely
1 cup whole cashews
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
Extra salt to season meat
1/2 cup full cream milk
1/4 cup pouring cream
Small can (approx 250ml-300ml) coconut cream
1/4 cup yoghurt
Vegetable oil for cooking
METHOD
Season the cubed chicken with a few large pinches of salt, white pepper and the brown sugar. Mix and set aside.
Grind or finely chop cashews.
Add the shallots, garlic, onion, ginger, galangal, teaspoon salt, coriander, cumin, kaffir lime leaves, lemon-grass, turmeric, green chillies and curry leaves to a food processor or a heavy mortar and pestle and process until it becomes a smooth paste.
Heat a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Once hot add a couple of tablespoons worth of vegetable oil and then add the cubed chicken, turning till browned.
Once browned remove meat from saucepan and set aside.
Add another tablespoon of oil and then add the white PPL spice paste, continuously stirring to avoid it burning. Once you can smell the aromatic fragrance of the spice paste strongly (but before it browns) add the finely chopped green pepper (capsicum) and stir through for a further 2 minute before pouring in milk, pouring cream and coconut cream. Stir for a further 2 minutes.
Transfer the previously cooked chicken meat (and any juices) to the saucepan along with the cashews, stir for half a minute then allow to sit.
Bring the curry up to a gentle simmer, stir briefly then turn the heat down to low and simmer for a further 20 min stirring occasionally, the sauce should thicken.
To serve, take the curry off the heat, stir in yoghurt and serve with Basmati rice.