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Malaysian-Style Chicken and Coconut Curry (Masak Lemak)

Malaysian-Style Chicken and Coconut Curry (Masak Lemak)

By Courtney HillFebruary 5, 2024

  • Makes
    4 servings
  • Cook Time
    50 minutes
  • Rating

Originally from Malaysia’s southwest coast, masak lemak is a golden-colored curry that’s punchy with lemon grass and chilies, and silky-rich from coconut milk. The dish can be prepared with a wide variety of proteins, vegetables and fruits—we liked chicken and potatoes, as well as the lighter pairing of shrimp and pineapple. Despite being coconut-based, masak lemak is bright and fresh. At PUDGi Guest House in Sepang, Malaysia, we learned from Elly Suhaili that this is the result of minimal oil and cooking everything gently to avoid browning. Traditionally, masak lemak also has a tart, fruity element, such as tamarind, unripe mango or dried plums. To recreate this with supermarket staples, we took Suhaili’s suggestion of quick-pickling shallots in lime juice. Be sure to look for unsweetened coconut cream, not cream of coconut, which is a condensed, sweetened coconut puree. Serve over steamed jasmine rice. If you like, offer sliced cucumber on the side for cool, contrasting crunch and sambal for additional heat and acidity.

Tip

Don’t cook the curry for more than a few minutes after adding the quick-pickled shallot and lime juice. The lime juice’s acidity and the shallot’s crunch provide perfect counterpoints to the spicy and creamy broth. The goal is just to warm the shallot and tame the lime juice’s bite.

Ingredients
  • 4

    medium shallots

  • ¼

    cup lime juice, plus lime wedges to serve

  • Kosher salt and ground white pepper

  • 2

    lemon grass stalks, trimmed to the bottom 6 inches, dry outer layers discarded, roughly chopped

  • 2 or 3

    Fresno or serrano chilies, stemmed and roughly chopped

  • 3

    medium garlic cloves, smashed and peeled

  • 2

    teaspoons grapeseed or other neutral oil

  • ½

    teaspoon ground turmeric

  • 2

    pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces

  • 12

    ounces Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into ½-inch chunks

  • 14

    ounce can coconut milk

  • ¾

    cup coconut cream (from a 5.4-ounce can)

  • 4

    ounces green beans, trimmed

  • Chopped fresh cilantro, to serve

  • Shredded cabbage, to serve (optional)

Step 1

Peel and halve 1 of the shallots, then slice lengthwise about ¼ inch thick and separate the layers. In a small bowl, stir together the sliced shallot, lime juice and a pinch of salt; set aside. Peel and roughly chop the remaining 3 shallots and add to a food processor along with the lemon grass, chilies, garlic, oil, turmeric, 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon white pepper. Process until finely chopped, scraping the bowl as needed, 1 to 2 minutes.

Step 2

Transfer the paste to a large Dutch oven and cook over medium, stirring often, until fragrant but not browned and any liquid released by the paste has evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken, potatoes and ¼ teaspoon each salt and white pepper; stir to coat. Stir in the coconut milk, coconut cream and ½ cup water. Bring to a simmer over medium-high. Stir in the green beans, then cover and cook over medium-low, stirring occasionally, until a skewer inserted into the chicken and potatoes meets no resistance, 15 to 20 minutes.

Step 3

Using a fork or tongs, lift the pickled shallot out of the lime juice and stir it into the curry along with 2 tablespoons of the juice; reserve the remaining juice. Cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, just until heated through, about 2 minutes. Off heat, taste and season with salt, white pepper and reserved lime juice. Serve topped with cilantro and shredded cabbage (if using), and with lime wedges on the side.