Java Chicken In Coconut Sauce Recipes

CHICKEN IN COCONUT SAUCE

Steps:

• Mix the cream of coconut with the hot water until smooth and well blended, and set aside.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and place the chicken breasts into the hot oil. Pan-fry the chicken breasts until they have begun to brown but are still pink inside, about 5 minutes per side. Remove the chicken breasts to paper towels, and sprinkle them with lemon juice, ginger, chili powder, salt, and pepper.
• Place the onions and garlic into the skillet over medium heat, and cook and stir until they are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Return the chicken breasts to the skillet on top of the cooked onions and garlic, and pour the coconut cream mixture over the chicken. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened, about 35 minutes.

JAVANESE CHICKEN CURRY

Steps:

• 1. First, make the flavoring paste. Place the chile, shallots, garlic, galangal, ginger, and coriander in a small food processor, and pulse until the coriander is well ground (no visible bits or pieces should remain) and you have a smooth paste the consistency of creamy mashed potatoes. (If the paste will not purée properly, and repeatedly creeps up the side of the food processor instead of grinding, add up to 2 tablespoons of water to it, 1 tablespoon at a time, periodically turning the processor off and scraping the unground portions with a spoon down toward the blade as you go.) Set aside.
• 2. Rinse the chicken under cold running water and pat it dry with paper towels. If using a whole chicken, for authenticity cut it into 16 pieces. If using precut chicken parts, you can leave them whole. Set aside.
• 3. Heat the oil in a 3- or 4-quart saucepan, Dutch oven, or soup pot over medium-low heat. Test to see if the oil is the right temperature by adding a pinch of the ground paste. The paste should sizzle slightly around the edges, not fry aggressively or sit motionless. When the oil is the correct temperature, add all the ground flavoring paste and sauté, stirring every 10 seconds or so to prevent sticking and burning, until the paste begins to separate from the oil and the smell of raw garlic and shallots has dissipated, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the cinnamon, tied lemongrass, lime leaves, and daun salam leaves (if using) and stir to combine them with the flavoring paste. Continue sautéing until you can clearly smell the fragrance of cinnamon, about 1 minute.
• 4. Add the chicken and raise the heat to medium. Sauté the chicken in the flavoring paste, moving it around often with a large spoon or spatula to prevent sticking or scorching. Turn each piece so that it sauts in the oil, until they are evenly golden brown, about 10 minutes. (You need not brown the chicken in two batches - it's fine if the chicken is piled in 2 layers, as long as you adjust the pieces in the pot so they all eventually brown.)
• 5. Add 1 cup of the unsweetened coconut milk, the water, and the salt to the chicken. Stir well to combine, blending the flavoring paste with the liquids and scraping from the bottom of the pot to bring up all the bits of flavor stuck to the surface, and bring to a low, steady simmer. Let the coconut milk simmer, stirring occasionally, until the fats from the chicken and coconut milk have risen to the surface and the chicken is tender and cooked through, but not falling apart from the bone, 40 to 50 minutes. You may need to lower and raise the heat occasionally if the simmer becomes too aggressive. Be careful to not allow the liquid to boil; the chicken will likely toughen and the coconut milk curdle. Taste for salt, and add more if necessary.
• 6. Add the additional 1 cup coconut milk and allow it to heat through and begin to take in the flavors of the curry, about 2 minutes. This additional coconut milk enriches this rich dish even more. If there is too much oil floating on the surface of the curry for your taste, feel free to skim some of it off, but by all means not all of it - it's intensely flavorful. Taste for salt once more.
• 7. Transfer the chicken and sauce to a low serving bowl; you may remove the cinnamon, tied lemongrass, and kaffir lime and daun salam leaves, if you like, or leave them in the bowl to continue to season the dish. Allow the dish to rest and cool at room temperature for at least 20 minutes before eating, which will give the flavors time to blend and intensify.

CHICKEN WITH COCONUT SAUCE

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, bring coconut milk to a gentle simmer; cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced to 1/2 cup, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat grill to high; oil grates. Rub chicken all over with oil; season generously with salt and pepper. Place chicken and jalapenos on grill; cover. Cook, turning occasionally, until chicken is cooked through and jalapenos are blackened all over, 12 to 16 minutes.
• Transfer chicken to a platter; keep warm. Peel jalapenos, rubbing off the blackened skins with a paper towel; transfer to a blender. Add reduced coconut milk, lime juice, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Blend on high speed until smooth.
• Slice chicken crosswise into 4 or 5 pieces, and place on plates; spoon coconut sauce over the top. Serve with rice and lime wedges, if desired.

CHICKEN IN COCONUT PEANUT SAUCE

Steps:

• In a 5-qt. slow cooker, whisk coconut milk and peanut butter until smooth. Stir in tomatoes, onion, peppers, brown sugar, garlic and seasonings. Add chicken; cook, covered, on low 5-6 hours or until chicken is tender. Stir before serving. Sprinkle with cilantro; if desired, serve with rice.