Rendang Ayam (Spiced Chicken Rendang)

Ingredients

• 4 pounds chicken cut into 8 pieces by your butcher
• 5 chiles de árbol dried, stemmed and roughly chopped
• 3 shallots roughly chopped
• 3 cloves garlic roughly chopped
• 2 stalks lemongrass tough outer layers removed, interior layers finely chopped
• 1 ginger 3″-piece, peeled and thinly sliced crosswise
• 1 turmeric 2″-piece fresh or frozen, peeled and thinly sliced, or 1 tbsp. ground turmeric
• 3 tablespoons peanut oil
• 6 cardamom pods cracked open
• 6 kaffir lime leaves fresh or frozen
• 4 whole star anise
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 2 1/2 cups coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• kosher salt to taste