A much-loved Malaysian celebration dish of chicken simmered in a rich red sauce of chilli, tomato, ginger and lemongrass, fragrant with cinnamon and star anise, and finished with a little coconut milk and lime. Chickpeas and green beans cook in the same pot, adding fibre and plant protein, so it's a filling family meal from one pan.

Ingredients

Spice paste

1 large onion (around 150g), roughly chopped
60g red chillies (around 4 large), roughly chopped (deseed for a milder sauce)
300g tomatoes, roughly chopped (or 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes)
40g fresh ginger, roughly chopped

Curry

1 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 cinnamon stick
2 star anise
2 lemongrass stalks, bashed with a rolling pin
2 tbsp tomato purée
2 whole chicken legs (around 600g total), skin removed and each cut into 4 pieces, or 6 skinless boneless chicken thighs (around 350g) (use halal chicken for halal)
1 x 400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
300g green beans, trimmed and halved (fresh or frozen)
100ml light coconut milk
1 tbsp fish sauce (or 1 tbsp reduced salt soy sauce)
Juice of 1 lime
Daun pegaga or coriander, to garnish (optional)
2 x 250g pouches cooked brown rice, to serve

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Needed kitchenware

A blender or food processor, and a large lidded saucepan or deep frying pan.

Instructions

Blend the onion, chillies, tomatoes and ginger into a smooth paste.

Heat the oil in the pan over a medium heat. Add the cinnamon, star anise and lemongrass, and cook until fragrant (1 minute).

Add the spice paste and cook, stirring often, until thick, darker red and the oil starts to separate (10 minutes). Stir in the tomato purée.

Add the chicken, chickpeas and 150ml water. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook until the chicken is tender and cooked through with no pink meat (25 minutes). Stir occasionally.

Stir in the green beans, coconut milk and fish sauce. Simmer uncovered until the beans are tender and the sauce has thickened (5–6 minutes).

Meanwhile, heat the rice pouches following the pack instructions.

Take out the cinnamon, star anise and lemongrass, and stir in the lime juice. Garnish with pegaga or coriander and serve with the rice.

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Storage information

Leave to cool, then cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Freeze for up to 3 months; defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat until piping hot all the way through. The flavour improves the next day.

Tip

Lower carb: Serve with cauliflower rice instead of brown rice.

Cost-saving tips

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Halal Friendly

Kosher Friendly

Balanced

Low fat

High protein

Gluten-free friendly

Moderate

Batch-cook friendly

Budget-friendly

One-pan

Freezer-friendly

Abbi

Head Chef