Ayam Begana (Chicken Begana) is a traditional Cocosian (from the Cocos (Keeling) Islands) recipe for a classic dish of curried chicken in a Malaysian sambal base with coconut. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Cocosian version of: Chicken Begana (Ayam Begana).
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Note: if you can only find sweetened coconut flakes, just put them in a fine mesh strainer and run some water over them until the water runs clear. This should flush away most of the sugar.
Ingredients:
500g chicken, cut into bite sized pieces
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tbsp oil
2 stalks lemongrass, grated
150g flaked coconut
3 garlic cloves, minced or ground
5 shallots, minced or ground
1 large onion, minced or ground
50g curry powder
1 tsp coriander powder
120ml Sambal (Malaysian Chilli Paste)
250ml water
Juice of one lime
salt to taste
Method:
Mix the chicken with the salt and turmeric. Set aside to marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or so, then cook over medium heat until the chicken is almost done (about 10 minutes).
Combine the coconut flakes and the lemongrass in a food processor and puree, adding a little bit of water as needed, until you get a nice paste.
In a large pot, heat the oil and cook the garlic, shallots and onions with the chilli paste, coriander and curry powder. Stir until fragrant, then add the chicken.
Add the water about a tablespoon at a time (you may not need the whole amount) until the ingredients start to just become saucy and the chicken cooks all the way through.
Mix in the lime juice and the coconut/lemongrass paste. Let it simmer for five or 10 minutes, until the sauce dries out (this should be a pretty dry curry).
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