Curry Devil
Originally called Debal Curry, this most famous of Eurasian dishes was made on Boxing Day to use up all the leftover turkey, bacon bones, pork belly and roast chicken from the Christmas Day feast. ‘Debal’ means ‘leftovers’ in Kristang.
Today, the dish has become the star of the Christmas Day meal itself. Every year, a constant stream of family, friends and neighbours comes to visit Nan, perching on whatever surface they can find in her tiny flat, with a plate on their laps, and soaking up the fabulously spicy sauce using the softest Asian-style baguettes we can find, sliced and warmed in the oven and served alongside the curry.
The baguettes have a very thin, crisp crust and because of their crumb structure absorb the curry with satisfying ease.
Traditionally, this recipe calls for a fresh, whole chicken. This was mainly because of the thrifty and ‘no waste’ requirements of the times. Today, however, we prefer to use only the most succulent thighs, drumsticks and wings.
The English name of the dish morphed into Curry Devil, as the Eurasians enjoy it ‘devilishly’ hot, but it is the tartness from the vinegar that imparts its distinctive zing. Vary the balance of the chilli padi and vinegar to suit your own taste. Always remember Nan’s cooking philosophy, and make the dish your own, tasting it as you cook until it’s perfect for you.
For the Curry Paste, blend together:
4 sticks of lemongrass (discard the harder outer stalk and only use the white inner stalks, then slice thinly before blending)
4 large red onions
2 cloves of garlic
3 thick slices of galangal
2 small pieces of turmeric
3 candlenuts
3 tbsp dried chilli powder
5 large red chillies
5 - 8 chilli padi
20g - 40g dried shrimp paste (belachan)
Other Ingredients:
1 whole chicken cut into pieces (or 1kg of your choice of chicken parts)
A 5cm piece of ginger, shredded thinly
1 large red onion, thinly sliced
1 large red onion, quartered
1 level tbsp mustard seeds, ground
4 large potatoes, peeled and chopped (about 600g)
1 tbsp light soya sauce
1 chicken stock cube
A pinch of salt
1 heaped tbsp English mustard powder
3 tbsp white vinegar
150g crispy roasted pork belly (optional)
150g cooked chicken gizzards (optional)
150g smoked ham (optional)
Method:
Add a few good glugs of oil to a deep pan.
Once the oil is heated, fry the shredded ginger, sliced onions and ground mustard seeds until the ginger and onions are lightly browned.
Add the curry paste and fry until fragrant for about 10 minutes. Add the soya sauce and cover the pan for 5 minutes.
Once the oil has started bubbling to the surface, add the chicken pieces, chicken stock cube, salt and cover the pan.
After 15 minutes, add the potatoes and one and a half cups of water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
Mix the mustard powder and vinegar together and then add to the pot together with the quartered onions and continue to cook for another 15 to 20 minutes, until the potatoes are cooked through.
If you are using them, add the chicken gizzards to the pot. This is also where you can stir in any roasted meats if you desire it.
Serve with steamed white rice or simply with baguettes.