Chicken & Meat
Gulai Ayam Kampung Kuah Kental Rempah Cengkih (Free-Range Chicken Curry with Rich Clove-Spiced Gravy)
Prep
20 min
Cook
65 min
Servings
6
Level
Medium
This free-range chicken gulai (Indonesian curry) features a thick, oil-slicked gravy bursting with spice, fragrant with cloves, cardamom, and cinnamon that will fill your kitchen with a wonderful aroma. The slightly firmer texture of free-range chicken actually helps it soak up the seasonings even more after slow cooking, resulting in a rich, savory-sweet curry that's perfect served with warm rice or lontong (compressed rice cakes). This version stands out from the usual yellow-gravy gulai because it uses a "warm" spice blend typical of Malay-Minang style curries, giving it a deeper color and more fragrant profile.
🧂 Ingredients
🍽️ Servings: 6
Adjust the servings and the ingredient amounts & nutrition below update automatically.
- 1 whole chicken Free-range chicken (ayam kampung), cut into 8-10 pieces
- 650 ml Thick coconut milk from 1 coconut
- 300 ml Thin coconut milk
- 4 tbsp Cooking oil for sautéing
- 2 stalks Lemongrass, bruised
- 3 inch piece Galangal, bruised
- 4 leaves Kaffir lime leaves
- 3 leaves Bay leaves (daun salam)
- 1 stick Cinnamon stick
- 4 Cloves
- 3 Cardamom pods
- 1 piece Star anise
- 1 tbsp Palm sugar, finely shaved
- 2 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Chicken bouillon powder (optional)
- 8 Shallots, for the spice paste
- 5 cloves Garlic, for the spice paste
- 6 Curly red chilies, for the spice paste
- 5 Red bird's eye chilies (adjust to taste), for the spice paste
- 3 inch piece Roasted turmeric, for the spice paste
- 2 inch piece Ginger, for the spice paste
- 5 Candlenuts, toasted, for the spice paste
- 1 tsp Ground coriander, for the spice paste
- 1/2 tsp Ground cumin, for the spice paste
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👩🍳 Instructions
- 1 Wash the free-range chicken thoroughly, rub with a little salt and lime juice, let sit for 10 minutes, then rinse again to remove any gamey smell.
- 2 Blend all the spice paste ingredients (shallots, garlic, red chilies, bird's eye chilies, roasted turmeric, ginger, candlenuts, coriander, and cumin) using a blender or mortar and pestle until completely smooth.
- 3 Heat the cooking oil in a large skillet or pot, then sauté the spice paste together with the lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamom, and star anise until fragrant and fully cooked, about 8-10 minutes over medium heat.
- 4 Add the chicken pieces and stir well with the sautéed spices until the chicken changes color and the seasoning starts to soak into the surface of the meat.
- 5 Pour in the thin coconut milk first, stir gently, then cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally so the coconut milk doesn't separate.
- 6 Once it comes to a boil, lower the heat, cover the pot, and cook for 30-35 minutes until the chicken starts to become tender. Stir occasionally from the bottom of the pot.
- 7 Add the thick coconut milk, palm sugar, salt, and bouillon powder. Continue cooking over low heat, stirring gently and continuously so the coconut milk doesn't separate, for 20-25 minutes until the gravy thickens and releases a slick of oil.
- 8 Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt or sugar if needed. Keep cooking until the chicken is completely tender and the curry gravy shows a layer of oil on the surface.
- 9 Turn off the heat and let it rest briefly so the flavors deepen further before serving warm with steamed rice or lontong.
💡 Tips
• Use free-range chicken (ayam kampung) for a more authentic, savory texture and flavor, but if you want it to cook faster, you can substitute regular broiler chicken and reduce the cooking time by about 15 minutes.
• Always stir the coconut milk over low heat and don't leave it unattended for too long so it doesn't separate and the gravy stays smooth and thick.
• Toast the candlenuts before grinding them so the curry has a more fragrant aroma without any raw, bitter taste.
• The curry tastes even better if left in the fridge overnight and reheated the next day, as the seasoning has time to fully soak into the meat.
📊 Nutrition Facts / serving
410
Calories (kcal)
26 g
Protein
31 g
Fat
9 g
Carbs
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