Kari Ayam Medan
In this recipe
About this recipe
Kari Ayam Medan is a coconut chicken curry with a thick, aromatic gravy—spice-forward and comforting, often with potatoes to stretch the pot.
Sauté the curry paste until the oil separates. That step creates the deep aroma Medan curries are known for.
It is a dependable family curry: not as dry as rendang, not as pale as opor—somewhere richly in between.
Prep & cook time
- Prep20 minutes
- Cook35 minutes
- Total55 minutes
- Servings5 servings
- LevelMedium
Tools you need
- Wide pot
- Blender
- Wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken, cut into pieces (about 1–1.2 kg)
- 2–3 potatoes, cubed
- 700 ml coconut milk
- Medan curry paste or: shallots, garlic, red chilies, ginger, galangal, turmeric, coriander, cumin, curry powder
- 1 stalk lemongrass, bruised
- 2 bay or curry leaves if available
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 3 tablespoons oil
Directions
- Blend or mix the curry spices into a paste.
- Sauté in oil with lemongrass and leaves until fragrant and the oil separates, 8–10 minutes.
- Add chicken and potatoes; coat well and cook a few minutes.
- Pour in coconut milk. Season with salt and sugar.
- Simmer gently until chicken is tender and the gravy thickens, 25–30 minutes.
- Taste and adjust. Rest briefly before serving.
Kitchen tips
- Potato softens the spice for children.
- If using store-bought curry powder, still sauté it thoroughly in oil.
- A squeeze of lime at the table brightens leftover curry.
- Make ahead for deeper flavor the next day.
Serve with
- Warm rice
- Roti or bread
- Cucumber pickles
- Sambal
How to store
Keeps 3 days refrigerated or 1 month frozen. Reheat gently.
Common mistakes
- Skipping the oil-split sauté, leaving a raw spice taste.
- Boiling coconut milk until it splits.
- Under-salting a rich gravy so it tastes dull.