Many of the world’s most exciting cuisines were born by blending different ones over centuries. Malaysia is a case in point. Its position along the ancient Maritime Silk Road has created a unique food culture that draws on its Chinese, Malay and Indian heritage, as well as periods of British and Portuguese colonisation.

Kari kapitan, a beloved chicken curry from Penang, embodies this layered history. A classic Peranakan dish, kari kapitan traces the arrival of southern Chinese migrants to the Malay Peninsula between the 14th and 17th centuries. Thicker and richer than many Southeast Asian curries, it was once prepared for British colonial-era captains – hence the name (kapitan means “captain”).

“The Peranakan community … incorporated Chinese and Malay cooking styles with Indian flavours to create a whole new genre of curries,” write Aim Aris and Ahmad Salim in their new cookbook, A Day in Penang.

Across more than 50 recipes, the book celebrates one of Malaysia’s most dynamic food hubs. It moves from kopitiam breakfast staples like kaya toast and roti canai to hawker classics – tangy assam laksa, smoky char kway teow – and cooling desserts like shaved-ice cendol.

This kari kapitan recipe stays true to tradition, with turmeric-marinated chicken, aromatic Southeast Asian spices and bright tamarind paste.

“Regardless of the myriad styles of curry in Penang, this dish is entrenched in the hearts of all Malaysians,” Aris and Salim write. Serve it with lacy pancakes (roti jala) or fragrant turmeric rice and let the history speak for itself.

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Kari kapitan, or Nyona-style chicken curry

Serves 4

Preparation time: 50 minutes (including 30 minutes marinating)

Cooking time: 60 minutes

Ingredients

125ml (½ cup) vegetable oil
2.5cm piece toasted belacan (shrimp paste)
2 tbsp soft brown sugar
250ml (1 cup) coconut milk
3 potatoes, peeled and quartered 
1 tbsp tamarind paste
5 makrut lime leaves, finely sliced 
1 tsp salt, or to taste

Marinated chicken

8 chicken drumsticks 
1 tbsp ground turmeric
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp vegetable oil

Spice paste

2 tbsp chilli paste
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large red onion, peeled and quartered 
4 garlic cloves 
2.5cm piece ginger 
1 tbsp ground galangal (optional)
2 tsp ground turmeric
3 lemongrass stalks, white part only
5 roasted candlenuts (optional)

Method

For the marinated chicken, place the drumsticks in a large glass or ceramic bowl, add the turmeric, salt and oil, and rub it all over the skin. Cover and marinate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight if time permits. 

To prepare the spice paste, place all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend to a smooth paste. Set aside. 

Heat the oil in a wok over medium heat. Add the chicken drumsticks in batches and cook for 2–3 minutes each side until golden brown all over, but not yet cooked through. Remove with tongs and place in a bowl lined with paper towel. 

Reheat the oil in the wok over medium heat. Add the spice paste mix and saute for about 1 minute. Add the belacan and stir‑fry for 5 minutes, or until aromatic and the oil has separated. Stir in the brown sugar. 

Add the coconut milk and 125ml (½ cup) water. Return the chicken pieces to the wok and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is nearly cooked and the sauce has reduced and thickened. 

Add the potato, tamarind paste, makrut lime leaves and salt, and stir together well. Simmer until the chicken and potato are cooked through, about 10 minutes. Serve with lacy pancakes (roti jala) or your choice of rice.

Additional reporting by Darren Rajit.

This is an edited extract of A Day in Penang by Aim Aris and Ahmad Salim, published by Thames & Hudson Australia (RRP $39.99).