Heat the oil over medium heat in a Dutch oven (or other large heavy bottomed pot).
Add the spice paste and fry for 2-3 minutes, until it starts to darken.
Add the cinnamon stick, curry leaves and star anise.
Add the chicken and stir to coat it.
Add the potatoes and enough water to just cover the chicken.
Simmer for 30 minutes, uncovered.
Add the coconut milk and simmer for another 25-30 minutes.
Add additional salt as needed and serve hot with nasi kunyit (turmeric sticky rice).
Spice Paste:
Toast the cumin and coriander in a skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, or until fragrant. Remove and grind with mortar and pestle.
Toast the belacan (shrimp paste) for 2-3 minutes, until slightly dried out (it will have a very strong smell while toasting).
For extra flavor, char the shallot and garlic in a hot skillet before putting in the food processor. It gives it a smokier flavor.
Combine all the ingredients in a food processor or blender and pulse until fully combined and mostly smooth.
Notes
For a thicker curry broth, I always use full fat coconut milk as light versions make curries too watery. If you want an even thicker curry, use coconut cream.
For the best flavor, make sure your whole spices are fresh. I also highly recommend toasting and grinding the cumin and coriander seeds for the spice paste.
When toasting the spices, keep an eye on them so they don’t burn. They will toast quickly.
The same is true for the belacan. This shrimp paste can burn quickly so keep an eye on it when toasting it.
Be careful not to overcook this curry dish as the chicken may end up a little tough and the potatoes could get mushy.
Keep your chicken thighs whole. This recipe does not call for cutting the chicken into pieces.
Make sure your potatoes are cut into roughly the same size pieces (about 1-inch cubes) so they cook evenly. If you have larger pieces, they will take longer to cook.
You can use bone-in or boneless chicken thighs. Just keep in mind that boneless thighs will cook quicker.