Name: Sri Lankan chicken curry (Kukul Mas Maluwa)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 2 h
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 2 tbsp basmati rice; 2 whole kashmiri dried chillies or 1⁄2 tsp dried red chilli; 4 tbsp coriander seeds; 3 tbsp cumin seeds; 2 tbsp black peppercorns; 1 tbsp black mustard seeds; 1 tsp whole cloves; 1 heaped tsp cardamom seeds (from the pods); 2 heaped tsp fennel seeds; 2 unwaxed lemons zest; 3 tbsp coconut oil or ghee; 3 onions, peeled and finely sliced; 6 cloves garlic peeled and finely sliced; 3-4cm fresh ginger, peeled and grated; 500 g chicken (thigh, bone in or out)chicken (thigh, bone in or out); 300 g small potatoes; 2 whole preserved lemons, roughly chopped; ½ tbsp Sri Lankan curry powder (see above); 400 ml (1 tin) coconut milk; 400 ml (1 tin) tomatoes; 250 g chard; 1 whole lemon; 4 rice measuring cups white basmati rice; 100 g cashew nuts; ½ tsp dried Kashmiri chilli or a pinch of dried chilli; ½ tsp ground turmeric; 1 tbsp maple syrup; ½ salt

A dark, intensely flavoured curry freshened by chard and lemons and complemented by coconut and potatoes.

AuthorHungry PandaCategoryMeatDifficultyAdvanced

Yields4 Servings

Prep Time30 minsCook Time1 hr 30 minsTotal Time2 hrs

INGREDIENTS FOR THE CURRY POWDER

2 tbsp basmati rice

2 whole kashmiri dried chillies or 1⁄2 tsp dried red chilli

4 tbsp coriander seeds

3 tbsp cumin seeds

2 tbsp black peppercorns

1 tbsp black mustard seeds

1 tsp whole cloves

1 heaped tsp cardamom seeds (from the pods)

2 heaped tsp fennel seeds

2 unwaxed lemons zest

FOR THE CURRY

3 tbsp coconut oil or ghee

3 onions, peeled and finely sliced

6 cloves garlic peeled and finely sliced

3-4cm fresh ginger, peeled and grated

500 g chicken (thigh, bone in or out)chicken (thigh, bone in or out)

300 g small potatoes

2 whole preserved lemons, roughly chopped

½ tbsp Sri Lankan curry powder (see above)

400 ml (1 tin) coconut milk

400 ml (1 tin) tomatoes

250 g chard

1 whole lemon

FOR THE RICE AND GARNISH

4 rice measuring cups white basmati rice

100 g cashew nuts

½ tsp dried Kashmiri chilli or a pinch of dried chilli

½ tsp ground turmeric

1 tbsp maple syrup

½ salt

HOW TO MAKE

Dry roast the rice on a medium heat in a pan until light brown before adding the spices and chillies.
Toast for 3 minutes. Stir in the lemon zest and leave to cool. Grind with pestle and mortar (or food
processor) to a curry powder.

This is a good point to add your rice to your rice cooker bowl. Fill with water to the white level 4 line and the press ’WHITE’ or ’LONG GRAIN’ then ’START’.

Add 2 tbsp of oil and onions to a pan on medium heat. Cook until soft and sticky.

Add the garlic and ginger. Cook for another couple of minutes over a high heat, then add the chicken, potatoes, preserved lemons and curry powder. Cook for another four minutes. Stir a lot.

Add the coconut milk and the tinned tomatoes. Simmer for 20 minutes with the lid on, stirring every now and again.

While the curry is simmering, toast the cashews in a frying pan over a medium heat until golden, toss in the spices and toast for 30 seconds more.

Turn off the heat, add the maple syrup and salt. Scoop the nuts on to a plate for serving later.

Pull the chard leaves off the stems, tear the leaves into large bite-sized pieces and finely chop the
stalks. Once the curry has had 20 minutes, add the chard and the stalks, and cook for a final 10 minutes, until the potatoes are cooked through.

Serve the curry with warm bread and rice, and top with crunchy cashews and a good squeeze of lemon.

Ingredients