Ayam Gulai (Indonesian Spiced Coconut Chicken Curry)
Ayam gulai is a Minangkabau curry from West Sumatra, where coconut milk and a complex spice paste define the regional cuisine known as Padang food. The base - a rempah of shallots, garlic, ginger, galangal, turmeric, and candlenuts - is fried low and slow until oil separates, signaling that the paste is properly cooked. Chicken pieces braise in this spiced coconut sauce for thirty minutes or more, until the meat nearly falls off the bone and the gravy thickens to a bright yellow, oily consistency. The flavor is rich and layered: turmeric and galangal provide warmth, kaffir lime leaves add a citrus top note, and the coconut fat carries everything across the palate. In Padang restaurants, it sits in a stack of small plates brought to the table, and you pay only for what you eat.
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Instructions
- 1
Blend onion, garlic, and ginger into a smooth spice paste.
- 2
Saute the paste in oil until fragrant and slightly caramelized.
- 3
Add turmeric, coriander, and lemongrass; cook for another minute.
- 4
Add chicken, sear lightly, then pour in coconut milk.
- 5
Simmer over medium-low heat for 30 minutes and finish with salt.
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