Sri Lankan Curry Recipes

SRI LANKA BEEF CURRY

Steps:

• Rinse the beef and pat dry. Crush the garlic cloves into a paste and combine it with the crushed ginger. Add the vinegar, salt, pepper, roasted curry powder, and cayenne. Mix in the beef cubes and toss to coat. Set aside for 30 minutes.
• Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the curry leaves and pandan strips. Stir in the onions. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Mix in the beef cubes and cook until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Stir in the cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, and cloves. Add the tomato paste and water and mix well.
• Simmer, covered, on low heat for 1 1/2 hours or until the meat is tender. Check the curry every half hour; you may need to add more water (up to 1 cup) if the curry is too dry and is sticking to the pan.
• Add the coconut milk and heat through. Taste and adjust the seasonings before serving.

SRI LANKAN CHICKEN CURRY

Steps:

• Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Combine the vinegar, tamarind juice, 1/4 cup curry powder, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Add chicken and toss to coat.
• Heat the coconut oil in a wok or frying pan over medium heat. Cook the sliced onion, green chiles, cardamom pods, cloves, curry leaves, ginger, and cinnamon stick until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, and continue cooking and stirring until the onion is very tender and dark brown, 15 to 20 minutes more. Stir in the garlic and cook for an additional minute.
• Add the chicken mixture, water, and tomato paste. Stir and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Add the roasted curry powder and stir until evenly dispersed.
• Gradually stir in the coconut milk and simmer for 2-3 more minutes. (Do not overheat or the coconut milk may curdle.)

KUKUL MAS MALUWA (SRI LANKAN CHICKEN CURRY)

Steps:

• In a small skillet, combine the coriander, cumin, fennel, cardamom, peppercorns and 15 curry leaves. Heat the spice mixture over medium heat, stirring often, until the spices are toasted and fragrant, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a spice grinder and grind into powder. (You should have about 3 1/2 tablespoons.) Set aside the toasted curry powder.
• In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, heat the coconut oil over medium-high. Add the onion, garlic and ginger, and cook, stirring often, until the onion has softened, about 8 minutes. Add the toasted curry powder, paprika, turmeric and salt, and cook, stirring, another 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, chiles and remaining 5 curry leaves.
• Add the chicken and toss to cover it in the onion mixture. Add the pandan, cinnamon and lemongrass, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook, for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add the coconut milk and simmer, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened slightly, about 20 minutes more. (The light meat will be cooked before the dark meat; you can simply remove it when it's done and add it back in when the dark meat is cooked.)
• Add the vinegar and season to taste with salt.

SRI LANKAN CASHEW CURRY

Steps:

• Drain and rinse cashews; set aside. Heat coconut oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium. Add onion, garlic, and ginger and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened and translucent, 5-7 minutes.
• Add curry powder, turmeric, paprika, and 1¼ tsp. salt to pot and cook, stirring to coat aromatics, until toasted and fragrant, about 2 minutes.
• Add 1½ cups water to pot, scraping up any browned bits stuck to bottom with a wooden spoon. Stir in coconut milk and reserved cashews and bring just to a boil. Reduce heat so mixture is at a rapid simmer and cook, stirring occasionally and adjusting heat as needed, until cashews soften slightly and liquid is reduced by two thirds, 25-35 minutes. Remove from heat and let cashew curry sit 10 minutes (sauce will continue to thicken as it cools). Squeeze in lime juice; taste and season with more salt if needed.
• Cook's Note: Don't stress over the texture of the cashews. After their overnight soak and simmer, they'll be plenty soft-and you can't really overcook them.