Sri Lankan chicken curry (Kukul Mas Maluwa)

AuthorHungry PandaCategoryDifficultyAdvanced
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
1

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.

2

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’.

3

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

4

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.

5

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

6

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.

7

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

8

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.

9

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

Ingredients

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

Directions

HOW TO MAKE
1

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.

2

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’.

3

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

4

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.

5

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

6

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.

7

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

8

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.

9

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

Notes

Sri Lankan chicken curry (Kukul Mas Maluwa)