Malacca Portuguese Debel (Devil) Curry

A fiery hot chicken dish with lots of chilli, hence the name 'Debel' or 'Devil' Curry! It's a Portuguese Eurasian specialty and has become one of the favourite dishes for my family.

I normally prepare this delicious curry dish during Festive Seasons or special occasions to go with roti jala (net pancakes or lacey crepes), an alternative to rice, and my family just drool over it. Nowadays though, I prepare this yummy dish only when there's a request or just to treat my sons and their families.

Recipe for Malacca Portuguese Curry Debel (or Curry Devil)

Ingredients:

• Chicken - 1 whole bird, cut into biting pieces
• Potatoes - ½ kg, cut into 4 per potatoe
• Green chillies - 4-5, to be halved
• Rice vinegar - ½ cup
• Salt and sugar to taste
• Cooking oil - ½ cup
• Water

      Grind or Blend together:

• Dried chilli - 10 or 1 rounded tbsp. of chilli paste  (chilli boh)
• Fresh red chilli - 8 or more if you prefer it hotter
• Small onions - 1 cup or 3-4 large onions
• Garlic - 1 bulb
• Candlenuts (Buah Keras) - 10
• Lemongrass (Serai) - 2 six-inch stalks (blend only the lower white section, about an inch and the rest to fry with the chicken)
• Galangal (Lengkuas) - 10 slices
• Turmeric (Kunyit) - 1 inch
• Ginger - 2 inches
• Mustard Seed (Biji Sawi) - 1 tablespoon

Method:

1. Heat up oil in pan
2. Add blended ingredients and fry until colour change to deep orange
3. Then add chicken and lemon grass stalks to fry for about 5 minutes to allow juice to come out of chicken
4. Add potatoes, salt to taste and enough water to cover chicken and potatoes when pressed down. Cook with medium fire till tender
5. Finally, add vinegar, sugar to taste and green chillies. Once boiled, remove from fire 

Serve with hot rice, bread or roti jala.

Happy cooking and relish this absolutely yummy dish with its mouth-watering aroma!!

Last edit: July 23 2012