Get your Nyonya on with this beautifully, coconutty braised chicken curry. A culinary culmination of Chinese, Malay and Indonesian flavours, Nyonya-style cooking is beloved for its wonderful fragrance and layered spice. It may take two hours, but your input is only required for a small portion, making it the very definition of a winner, winner chicken dinner
Preheat oven to 180°C fan-forced. Heat oil in a frypan over medium-high heat. Season chicken well with ¼ teaspoon salt flakes and pepper, place skin-side down in pan and cook for 5 minutes or until golden. Turn and cook for a further 5 minutes or until golden on both sides. Remove from pan and set aside.
Peel onion and cut into thin wedges. Peel and slice garlic. Cut potatoes into quarters. Cut lemongrass into 10cm lengths and halve lengthways. Use the back of a knife to bruise lightly.
Add onion, garlic and cumin seeds to pan with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring, for 3–4 minutes or until starting to caramelise. Add Malaysian curry powder and stir to combine.
Add potato, lemongrass, fish sauce, coconut milk and 180ml (3⁄4 cup) water. Return chicken to pan, bring to a simmer and cover with a lid. Transfer to oven and cook for 60 minutes or until chicken is tender and falling from the bone. Remove lid and cook for a further 15–20 minutes or until skin is crisp and sauce has reduced slightly. While chicken is cooking, continue with step 5.
Place rice and 310ml (1¼ cups) cold water in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low, cover with a lid and cook for 15 minutes or until cooked through. Set aside, covered, until ready to serve.
Trim broccolini and cook in a saucepan of salted, boiling water for 3–4 minutes or until tender. Cut lime into wedges. Divide rice between plates, spoon over chicken and curry sauce and serve with lime wedges.