CURRY SEKU

Serves 6–8

This dry curry got its name from the wok, or seku, as it is known in the Malaccan Portuguese patois, that the curry is cooked in. Seku means bottom and the wok was probably so-named because of the roundness of its shape that resembled the human bottom. Curry seku is a very dry curry, not unlike the Indian dry masala (peretal).

Cooking oil 4 Tbsp
Onion 1, peeled and sliced
Garlic 3 cloves, peeled and sliced

Ginger 3-cm (1¼-in) knob, peeled and
cut into thin strips

Curry leaves 1 stalk
Cinnamon 1 stick, about 5-cm (2-in)
Cloves 4
Star anise 1
Cardamom 1 pod
Light soy sauce 2 Tbsp
Curry powder 125 g (4½ oz)
Chilli powder 1 Tbsp

Chicken 1, about 1.5 kg (3 lb 4½ oz),
cut into smaller pieces

Potatoes 2, peeled and cut into
2-cm (1¼ -in) cubes

Water 100 ml (3½ fl oz)
Salt ¼ Tbsp

Ground Paste

Large onions 5, peeled and sliced
Ginger 10-cm (4-in) knob, peeled and sliced
Garlic 15 cloves, peeled

Dried chillies 100 g (3½ oz), cut into
short lengths, soaked for 10 minutes,
seeds removed

1.   Pound or grind together ingredients for ground paste until fine. Set aside.

2.   Heat oil in a pot over medium heat and fry sliced onion, garlic, ginger and curry leaves
until onion is soft.

3.   Add cinnamon, cloves, star anise and cardamom, followed by ground ingredients.
Fry until oil rises.

4.   Add soy sauce, curry powder and chili powder. Mix thoroughly.

5.   Add chicken, potatoes and water. Continue stirring until curry thickens, chicken is
cooked and potatoes are tender. This may take about 10 minutes. Season with salt.

6.   Remove from heat. Dish out and serve hot.

NOTE

•  When frying to thicken the curry, stir continuously to avoid the curry burning at the bottom
of the pot.

86

EURASIAN HERITAGE

Cooking