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–+ servings

Devil Curry

By Celia Lim
Devil curry is a spicy, savoury Eurasian Portuguese meat curry flavoured with a red chilli and ground mustard paste and vinegar. Traditionally served at festive occasions like Christmas, this curry dish is now popularly enjoyed as a delicious meal any time of year.
4.64 from 11 votes
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Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 1 hr
Total Time 1 hr 30 mins
Cuisine Eurasian
Servings 10 servings
Calories 443

Ingredients
  

  • 1 whole chicken 1 to 1.2 kg, chopped into bite-sized chunks
  • 2 tbsp black soy sauce
  • 4 tbsp blended spice paste see below
  • ½ cup cooking oil
  • 2 tsp black or brown mustard seeds
  • 3 - 4 cups water
  • 3 lemon grass stems bottom 1/3 section, bruised
  • 2 yellow onions peeled, quartered
  • 1 ½ - 2 tsp salt or to taste
  • 3 potatoes peeled, quartered

For the spice paste:

  • 16 - 20 dried chillies cut into 2-cm (1-inch) lengths, soaked in warm water for 20 - 30 mins to soften
  • 4 large red chillies roughly chopped
  • 120 g shallots peeled, roughly chopped
  • 2 tbsp chopped garlic
  • 2 tbsp chopped ginger
  • 1 tbsp chopped galangal
  • ½ tsp ground turmeric (optional)
  • 3 candlenuts or macadamia nuts crushed

For the vinegar mixture:

  • 4 tbsp vinegar
  • 2 tsp sugar or to taste
  • 1 tsp English mustard powder

Instructions
 

  • In a food processor or blender, process the spice paste ingredients to a fine paste. Add a little oil to grease the blades, if necessary.
  • Put 4 tbsp of the blended spice paste and the dark soy sauce in a large bowl, and stir to mix well. Add the chicken pieces and stir enough times to coat well with the mixture.
  • In a wok or skillet, heat up 1/4 cup oil over high heat. When very hot, add the marinated chicken and stir-fry until the meat changes colour all over, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the chicken pieces and set aside.
  • Add the remaining 1/4 cup oil and reduce the heat. Add the mustard seeds and fry until you hear the seeds popping.
  • Add the remaining spice paste, and fry over low-medium heat until fragrant, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add onions and stir-fry with the spice paste for 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Add water, lemon grass and salt. Allow to simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, scraping any spice paste from the bottom of the wok or skillet. Add the chicken and more water, if needed, to just cover the chicken. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes.
  • Add the potatoes. Stir occasionally to cook the potatoes evenly, about 20 minutes, or until softened. Let simmer until the chicken is tender as well.
  • Stir in the vinegar mixture and let simmer for 1 minute.
  • Do a final taste test, and flavour with more salt and sugar, if desired. Dish out onto serving plate and serve hot.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 443kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 22gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 20gCholesterol: 53mgSodium: 963mgFiber: 4gSugar: 9g
Keyword chicken devil curry recipe, curry debal recipe, debal curry, devil curry, devil curry recipe, devil curry recipe eurasian, devils curry, kari debal recipe, malaysian chicken curry
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