-
1
Toast the coriander seed in a dry pan over medium heat, shaking frequently, until the seeds deepen in colour and a warm, nutty fragrance rises, then remove immediately and grind to a powder, so the volatile oils are captured at their peak before the heat drives them off. Combine the ground coriander with the soaked dried chillies and grind together as the first stage. Add the shallots, garlic, galangal, lemongrass, turmeric, candlenuts and toasted belacan, and continue grinding until the rempah is a smooth, cohesive paste with no visible fibrous strands, since unground fibres of lemongrass and galangal will never soften in the pot and will leave the finished sauce coarse.
-
2
Heat the lard in a heavy-based pot or wok over medium-high heat, then brown the bone-in chicken pieces skin-side down until the skin is deeply golden and the rendered fat in the pan carries strong Maillard character, since this crust seals in the juices and gives the finished curry a depth the rempah alone cannot provide. Turn and colour the underside briefly. Remove the chicken and set aside — the pieces should be browned, not cooked through, so they finish gently in the sauce without tightening.
-
3
Reduce the heat to medium and, in the same pot, fry the rempah in the residual fat, stirring constantly, until the paste darkens by several shades and the raw smell of shallot and dried chilli gives way to a rounded, cooked-spice depth, so the rempah loses its harsh edge and the flavours knit together into something unified. Continue until the paste begins to pull away from the sides of the pot and the fat visibly separates at the edges — this is your signal that the water in the shallots has cooked out and the spices are frying, not steaming. This stage builds the foundational flavour of the curry and must not be rushed.
-
4
Return the browned chicken to the pot, pour in the coconut milk, and stir to coat all pieces in the rempah before bringing to a gentle simmer, so the rempah is fully suspended in the sauce rather than sitting beneath it. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the sauce reduces to a thick, glossy coating that clings to the chicken pieces and an oil ring — the separated coconut fat — is clearly visible at the surface, since that separation tells you the emulsion has broken down fully and the sauce will coat and not pool. Season with salt.
-
5
This is where the dish lives or dies: remove the pot from the heat entirely before squeezing the calamansi limes directly into the curry, since acid added over live heat disperses and flattens immediately, whereas acid added off the heat stays bright and lifts the whole dish. Squeeze enough for the brightness to register across the dish — the richness of the coconut base will lift, the aromatics will sharpen, and the dish will become complete. Taste, adjust salt, and serve immediately with keropok alongside.