First, cut the chicken into two parts: separate the drumstick from the thigh. If you bought them already separated, you can skip this step. To cut the chicken, slice through the joint instead of the bone for easier preparation.

Wash the potatoes thoroughly, peel them, and cut into large chunks. Since you'll be simmering the curry until the chicken is tender, large potato pieces will hold their shape better and not fall apart.

Next, toast all the spices except the ground cinnamon in a pan until fragrant. Be careful not to burn them—turn off the heat as soon as they're aromatic.

Once the spices are toasted, heat some vegetable oil in a pan. When hot, fry the lemongrass, galangal, garlic, and dried chilies until they are fragrant and crispy.

Gradually pound the toasted spices and curry paste ingredients in a mortar and pestle until fine. Then add the shallots, garlic, galangal, and fried dried chilies, and continue pounding until smooth. This step takes some time, but keep going—it's worth it!

When the curry paste is smooth, heat a pot and add the coconut milk, chicken, potatoes, and curry paste. Simmer until the chicken is cooked through. To check if the chicken is done, see if the skin near the joint pulls away easily. Once cooked, season to taste while the pot is still on the heat.

That's it—your Massaman Chicken Curry is ready! There are many more tips for choosing the best spices, so feel free to ask if you're interested.