In a pot bring water to a boil. Add sago pearls, reduce heat to a simmer and cook until all pearls are translucent, about 18-20 minutes. Once cooked, strain the tapioca in a sieve and rinse under cold water to remove all of the starch.
Set a dehydrator or oven to 175°F. On a parchment lined sheet tray, scoop about 1 teaspoon of sago onto tray and spread into a round disk. Dehydrate for 4 hours, flipping halfway through. Remove from dehydrator and cool completely. Store in airtight container for service.
Grilled Turmeric Chicken
In a mortar combine galanga, lemongrass, coriander seed, black pepper, sea salt, and palm sugar. Use pestle to grind into a paste. Add coconut milk, turmeric powder, curry powder, and ground cumin. Mix until ingredients are evenly distributed.
In a bowl or hotel pan toss chicken in marinade. Refrigerate overnight to marinate.
Set grill to high. Remove chicken from marinade, discard excess marinade. Grill chicken to an internal temperature of 165°F and well-marked on both sides. Allow to rest, then cut into bite-size pieces. Hold hot for service.
Masaman Curry Sauce
In a sauce pot heat rice bran oil over medium high heat. Add masaman curry paste and stir fry until fragrant. Add coconut milk, palm sugar, fish sauce, and tamarind paste. Whisk to fully combine and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low and add water and fried shallots. Simmer until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Hot hold for service.
Service
Set the oil to 375°F. For each serving, fry 7 dried sago chips until puffy and crispy, about 5-6 seconds. Drain of excess oil.
Drizzle each cracker with 1 teaspoon of Masaman Curry Sauce. Top curry with 1 piece of grilled chicken and garnish with 1 piece grilled pineapple, sliver red chili, 1/4 tsp chopped peanuts, and a cilantro leaf. Serve hot.
Chef's Tip!
1. Sago chips can be substituted with fried rice or tapioca paper.
2. Heating oil and stir-fry curry paste briefly before adding coconut milk will bring extra flavor and aroma to the curry.
3. Adding ground peanuts (toasted or fried) will add creaminess to the masaman sauce. If you prefer a crunchy texture, you can roughly chop or add whole peanuts. Fried shallot will also add chunky texture and aroma to the sauce.
