The "Real" Singaporean Chicken Curry - Recipe and Origins

Ingredients

• ¼ cup coconut oil (it’s better for you! avoid using canola or vegetable oil!)
• 3 tablespoons curry powder
• 1kg chicken drumsticks, brined in 1 tablespoon salt
• 3 stalks lemongrass, white part only, smashed
• 3 cups water, or more as needed
• 1½ teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1kg potatoes, skinned, quartered and parboiled (see notes)
• 400ml coconut cream, adjust according to personal preference
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce, or more to taste
• 1-2 cubes chicken stock
• 650 grams small red onions or shallots (about 6), peeled & roughly quartered
• 12 cloves garlic
• 2 knobs ginger
• 1 tablespoon, bottled pre-minced galangal (see notes)
• 3-6 red chillies, sliced (deseed if preferred)
• 10-15 dried chillies, rehydrated (adjust according to preferred spice level)
• 5 candlenuts
• 5 cardamoms
• 1½ teaspoons cumin seeds
• handful of curry leaves (optional)
• 1 piece 4-inch cinnamon stick
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
• 3 star anise
• 10 cloves