Debone the chicken thighs. Slice the chicken into equal-sized pieces.
Fill a pot with coconut milk (or 1 part water to 1/4-part coconut cream)
Add the aromatics: Three slices of galangal, three whole, peeled shallots, and one bruised and sliced lemongrass stalk.
Braise the chicken, starting from boiling coconut milk until it is tender.
Turn off the heat when the chicken is cooked; collect some of the fat that floats to the top. We'll use the fat, along with coconut cream, to fry the paste. Set aside.
Prepare the pineapple:
Slice one small pineapple into the same size pieces as the chicken. Set aside.
Prepare the curry paste five components:
An overview of the curry paste ingredients, divided into five groups
1
2
3
4
5
De-seed and rehydrate the dried chilies in hot water.
Roast and grind the spices, starting with the white peppercorns and followed by the coriander seeds. The spices are ground separately and kept separate until they are used in the paste.
Using a mortar and pestle, pound each of the five ingredient groups separately into fine pastes.
Transfer the five pounded components into a mixing bowl and, using a spoon, mix them to blend the final curry paste. Do not use a mortar and pestle. Set the finished paste aside.
Wash the pestle and mortar with about one cup of plain water and reserve the liquids.
Cook the curry:
In a brass wok, heat the coconut cream until it thickens, and oil appears. Scoop out a small portion to drizzle on top of the finished curry.
Add the curry paste.
Fry the paste until it loses its rawness.
Stop the frying with plain water and the liquids collected from cleaning the mortar and pestle. This is an important, in order to separate the oil particles created during the paste-frying process from the rest of the broth. At this stage, mix gently to avoid re-emulsification of the oil.
Add the cooked chicken and mix gently.
Diluting the curry:
Dilute the curry to your liking with the chicken cooking liquids, coconut milk or chicken stock.
Add the sliced pineapple and allow the pineapple to cook briefly, until you can taste its sourness.
Seasoning:
Season to a salty leading with a sweet or sour-sweet floor flavor profile – and taste before seasoning! Start by seasoning the salty element using fish sauce.
When you are satisfied with the saltiness, add palm sugar at the ratio indicated.
Optional: If needed, use tamarind paste to adjust or emphasize the natural sourness of the pineapple.
Plate and serve:
Put the curry into a serving bowl and drizzle thick coconut cream over it. Serve!