Mum's chicken curry and fragrant basmati rice

This is my mum's recipe and instructions for her chicken curry and basmati rice. There's a few spices involved but once you stock them in your pantry, you can say goodbye to Uncle Ben next time you pass him on the supermarket shelf.


Fry the sliced onions till fragrant, add the pounded garlic & ginger, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, cardomon. Add the curry powder with a bit of water & fry till the whole kampong (village) can smell & salivate! Use a non-stick pan if you have, this way you use less oil.


Add chicken and fry lightly.


Add water just to cover chicken, bring to boil. When boiling,lower heat, simmer, add the coconut milk, and if you want to add potatoes, add now. Cook for another 15-20 mins, by then both potatoes & chicken should be tender. Add the evaporated milk to thicken and let it boil, adjust salt.


Wash basmati rice & soak for 30 mins, strain. Fry onion in oil,try not to stir too much, this way it caramilise faster, add garlic, ginger, cinnamon, star anise. Add rice,salt & fry lightly & add water, or rose water or kewra water (fragrant floral water found in indian or pakistani shops). If you are using floral water, use half floral & half water. Bring to boil & when it start to boil, use a chop stick to stir quickly & cover the pan, lower the fire.


When all the water is absorbed by the rice, it should be ready.


Viola!


Ingredients

Chicken curry:
Chicken pieces
3 tablespoons Curry powder for chicken curry
2 red onions, slice
Ginger, thumb size, pound
8-10 garlic, pound
1 small can evaporated milk
1 small can coconut milk
1 cinnamon stick
8-10 cloves
3 star anise
8 cardomon

Basmati rice:
Basmati rice & water in equal amount
1 large red onion
2-3 chopped garlic-optional
1 pc crushed ginger-optional
1 cinnamon stick
5 cardamon
2-3 star anise