SEA Curry Chicken

I don't quite know how to classify this curry. Is it Nonya? It's certainly not true blue Indian or Malay, and I put in a lot of Thai touches, inspired by watching an old episode of 'Chef at Home' last night. But who cares...it tastes good! Altho probably not very healthy since I emptied a whole packet of coconut cream in, rather than my usual half packet!

I'm under no illusions that this is a 'quick and simple' recipe, because it takes 30 mins to 1 hr to pound with a pastel and mortar (like Dad would say, what a good Nonya girl would do...except I'm not Nonya and neither is he ) and another 45 mins to 1 hour to simmer. Unlike my 'glory' days when I used to churn out yam cake, chocolate chip biscuits and other 'complicated' recipes, nowadays I'm more a 'quick and easy' kinda girl, so this is quite a mammoth cooking 'project' for me.

Ingredients
1 chicken, chopped into pieces
2 potatoes
Marinade
2 tbsp light soya sauce
1 tbsp ground tumeric
2 tsp ground cumin
For pounding
1 medium red onion (or 3 shallots)
3 cloves of garlic
1 thumb-sized ginger, sliced
8 dried red chillies, rehydrated in hot water and deseeded
3 tbsp dried shrimp
1 tbsp belachan
Into the pot
2 tbsp oil
2 tbsp curry powder
1 tsp fish sauce
4 lemon grass, crushed to release the oils but kept whole to facilitate easy removal before serving
2 tbsp curry leaves
2 tbsp kaffir lime leaves
1 tsp sugar
Dash of pepper
Salt to taste (if necessary)
2 cups water
1 packet coconut milk

Method
1) Marinate the chicken pieces in light soya, tumeric and 1 tsp cumin. Set aside to marinate for at least 1 hour.
2) In a pestle and mortar, grind up (in order) the rehydrated chill, dried shrimp, ginger, onion, garlic and lastly belachan. You can also use a food processor but its not the Nonya way and the oils aren't released so its not as fragrant.
3) Dry fry the curry powder and set aside.
4) Heat up 2 tbsp oil. It may seem like a lot by the rempah will "suck" it up. Stir fry until dry. Add 1 cup of water and fry again until it becomes a paste.
5) Add in the chicken pieces and stir fry until well coated. Add the 2nd cup of water.
6) Add the curry leaves, kaffir lime leaves, lemon grass, potatoes, sugar and curry powder. Bring to a boil, cover and bring down to a simmer. Let it simmer away for 1/2 hour.
7) Check on it periodically and stir. Around 35 mins, add in the fish sauce and coconut milk. Bring it back to a gentle boil. Switch off the heat after 45 mins. If you have the time to let it sit and reheat it, it will thicken further.
8) Serve with freshly steamed jasmine rice or chunky french loaf.