Mary Berry Malaysian Chicken Curry Recipe

Mary Berry's Malaysian chicken curry is fragrant with lemongrass, galangal, and coconut milk — a deeply aromatic curry that is genuinely different from the Indian versions.

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1 5

Servings: 4 Portions

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: British

Calories: 510

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

Rempah Spice Paste:
4 shallots roughly chopped
4 garlic cloves roughly chopped
3 cm fresh galangal or ginger roughly chopped
2 lemongrass stalks white part only, roughly sliced
3 dried red chillies soaked — or 2 fresh red chillies
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground cumin
2 tbsp sunflower oil
Curry:
800 g boneless skinless chicken thighs in generous chunks
3 tbsp sunflower oil
400 ml tin full-fat coconut milk
200 ml chicken stock
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp palm sugar or soft light brown sugar
4 kaffir lime leaves
1 lemongrass stalk bruised
200 g baby potatoes halved (optional)
Salt to taste
Fresh coriander and sliced red chilli to finish
To Serve:
Jasmine rice roti or flatbreads, cucumber slices, spring onions

Method

Blend all rempah ingredients to a smooth thick paste. Set aside.
Heat 3 tbsp oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add rempah — fry 8–10 minutes, stirring frequently, until darkened, deeply fragrant, and oil separates around the edges.
Increase heat to medium-high. Add chicken — stir to coat. Cook 3–4 minutes until sealed and beginning to colour.
Add coconut milk, stock, fish sauce, palm sugar, kaffir lime leaves, bruised lemongrass, and potatoes if using. Bring to a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered over low heat 25–30 minutes until chicken is tender and sauce has thickened.
Remove kaffir lime leaves and lemongrass. Taste and balance — adjust fish sauce, sugar, and chilli as needed. Scatter coriander and red chilli. Serve with jasmine rice.

Notes

Fry the rempah for the full 8–10 minutes — under-fried rempah gives a flat, raw-tasting curry.

Galangal is different from ginger and worth finding — it gives the specifically Malaysian flavour.

Full-fat coconut milk only — low-fat gives a thin, watery sauce.

Fish sauce is not optional — it provides the essential Southeast Asian salinity.

Taste and balance the four flavours at the end — fragrant, sweet, salty, spicy.

Flavour improves overnight. Freezes 3 months.