Curry time! (Chicken curry, cashew nut curry, lentil dahl and coconut sambol)

Let's talk curry. Sri Lankan inspired curries are the order of the day in our household. Typically Sri Lankan meals are a buffet style affair with an array of different curried meats, fish, lentils and vegetables (or fruit) with rice, hoppers, string hoppers, pittu, lamprais and other carbohydrates. If you're no familiar with it, Sri Lankan cuisine is similar to Thai in the sense it tends to have a coconut base, but it has more complex flavours given the predominance of chilli, cardamom, cumin, coriander and cinnamon, which is found in Indian cuisine.

In addition to all the curry dishes, Sri Lankan curries also have a number of other side dishes including pickles, chutneys and sambols. One of the most popular is coconut sambol, and it's one of the easiest to replicate back in the UK (but without the Maldive fish).

Like India, the recipe and taste can vary between regions. There is no 'exact' measurements to my curry dishes - it's more of a matter of preference and experimentation. For example, while I can tolerate some heat, my boyfriend prefers hotter dish so I tend to reserve some chillis (or put them in whole while cooking, but give them to him when serving).

I'll add more curries as I make them, but these are some of more regular dishes.

So, let's begin....

Chicken curry

You will need (serves 4):

• 400g chicken breast (or thighs, if you prefer on the bone)
• 1 onion, chopped into slices (as is your preference)
• 1 garlic clove, minced (or cut into thin slices)
• 2-3 chillies (finely chopped)
• 5-10 curry leaves
• 2 tbsp roasted curry powder (or a blend of cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cardamom)
• Optional: tin of chopped tomatoes (or fresh tomatoes), coconut milk

A 'dry' version of the curry.

Method

1.  In a frying pan, add the chopped onion and fry on a low temperature (in some ghee or oil) until softened.
    
2. Add the garlic and chilli with the curry powder and stir until they're all covered.
   
3. Add the chicken to the frying pan and coat in the powder [Note: for a more intense flavour, you can marinate the chicken overnight in the powder].
   
4. To avoid the meat burning and sticking to the pan, add 200ml water a few tbsp at a time. You want the chicken to cook, not burn. [Note: rather than adding water, you can add coconut milk for a more authentic Sri Lankan taste]



Add chopped tomatoes for a saucier curry.

5. If you want a dry curry, you can serve at this point. However, I tend to add a handful of fresh chopped tomatoes or a tin of chopped tomatoes at this stage and leave to simmer for a little while until the flavours have combined and the curry sauce has reduced.

Cashew Curry

You will need (serves 4):

• 250g cashew nuts (boiled in water for 15 minutes and left to cool)
• 400ml tin coconut milk
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1-2 chillies, finely chopped
• 5-10 curry leaves
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp chilli powder

Method

1. In a frying pan, cook the onions and chilli with the curry leaves with a splash of oil (or ghee). Once the onions have softened, add the spices and stir.
   
2. Add the drained cashew nuts, stir, and pour in the coconut milk. Season with salt and pepper.
   



Serve when the sauce has thickened and reduced

.



Add coconut milk to the spices

3. Increase the heat and cook the curry until the sauce has thickened and reduced, then serve.

Lentil Dahl (dal, dhal)

You will need (serves 4)

• 400g red lentils (washed)
• 1 onion
• 1-2 chillies, finely chopped
• 2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 stock cube
• Optional: coconut milk or cream, garlic clove (minced), West Indian Hot Sauce

 
Method

Tasty lentil dahl

1. In a pan on a low heat, fry the chopped onion and chilli [and garlic, if using]. Season.
   
2. When the onion has softened, add the turmeric and stir.
   
3. Add enough water to the pan to cover the lentils by about 1 inch/2.5cm. Break the stock cube into the water and bring to the boil.
   
4. [Optional: as the water boils, add up to 200ml coconut milk, or a heaped tbsp of coconut powder (I use Maggi's coconut powder)].
   
5. Once the lentils are soft, stir and season again if required.
   
6. [Note: for an extra kick, before serving, take off the heat and stir in up to 1 tbsp of West Indian Hot Sauce].
   
7. Serve with a sprinkling of dried chilli flakes and cumin seeds.

Coconut Sambol (serves 4 as an accompaniment)

No Sri Lankan curry is complete without a sambol. Coconut sambol is reasonably easy to make. It doesn't taste as good without the fresh coconut scraped from the king coconut and using the king coconut water, but it makes a close second.

You will need:

• 1 cup of dessicated coconut
• half cup of coconut milk
• 1 green chilli (finely chopped)
• half tsp dried flaked chillies
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• half red onion, finely chopped
• juice of half lime

Method

1. In a pestle and mortar, mix the chilli flakes, chilli powder, chopped chilli and onion with a pinch of salt and pound until a thick pulp.
2. Add some of the lime juice and pour the mixture into the bowl containing the dessicated coconut. Stir
3. Add the coconut milk little by little, as you want the end product to be a dry flakey mixture, not a thick soup. 
4. Serve alongside the curry and rice as an accompaniment.

Sambol should have a dry texture

Healthy Mexican Chicken Stew (and Spicy Sweet Potato Wedges)

This is one of my favourite recipes. It's super quick to make, so makes a perfect midweek meal if you've been working late but still want something nutritious. It's also pretty versatile in terms of how to serve it: on it's own as a meaty stew/soup, with rice or cous cous, in a wrap like a fajita, on jacket potato, ladled over pasta... the list goes on. The recipe also doesn't use any oil/fat (but you can, if you want).

I came across a similar recipe, but modified it for our palate by adding a few additional ingredients. I've stated these below.

You will need (recipe listed serves 4):

• Enough chicken for 4 people (I'd suggest 400g chicken breast, or mini fillets).
• 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 1 tbsp of chipotle chili paste (I used Sainsbury's on this occasion, but Old El Paso, Discovery, Asda and Tesco all have their own variations - I love Asda's Chipotle and Lime version).
• 1-2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or minced.
• 1 red onion
• 1 lime sliced into wedges (to serve)
• Optional: 1-2 chilies of your preference (I use finger chilies) finely chopped, handful of fresh baby or plum tomatoes, 400g tin kidney beans (in salt water, or chilli sauce if you want it even spicier), 1 tsp smoked paprika and sour cream/creme fraiche/yoghurt (to serve).

Method

3. Add the chicken to the mixture and simmer with the lid on

4. Shred the chicken and return to the mixture

1.  Slice the red onion. In a medium sized saucepan lightly fry the onion on a low heat until softened. I dry fried, hence no oil, but you can add a splash of oil if you wish.
2. Add the chopped garlic, the finely chopped chilies (if using) and the handful of fresh tomatoes (if using) together with 1 tbsp of the chipotle chilli paste. Stir and let cook together for a minute. I usually add some salt and pepper at this point.
3. Add the tin of chopped tomatoes to the mixture and stir. Place the chicken breasts/mini fillets into the saucepan and cover in the sauce. The finer the chicken breasts are sliced, the quicker it will cook. Place a lid on the saucepan and leave the pan to simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. When the chicken has cooked through, take the breast pieces out of the sauce and shred using two forks. Stir the chicken back into the mixture and add the kidney beans and the smoked paprika (if using). Keep the mixture on heat, with the lid off.
5. The mixture should be nice and thick, but it may require a splash of water as it reduces. Previously, I've added about 1/2 tin of water (using the tinned tomato tin) to the mixture. You may wish to add more water if you want a more soupy dish. If you want to put it in tacos or wraps, hold off from adding any more water. Turn the heat up and serve when piping hot.
6. Serve as desired. As mentioned above, it's quite versatile. My preference is serving with sweet potato or in a wrap with some rocket and a dollop of sour cream.The fresh lime squeezed over the mixture just before serving adds a sharp tang to the sweet spicy mixture.
7. Note: if you're making this recipe for two and have the tin of chopped tomatoes left over, add them with half an onion and a chilli (if desired) to a pan and cook with a tsp of honey and a tsp of balsamic vinegar and you have a really useful tomato sauce - great with pasta, added to the base of a bolognaise or chilli (if you add the remaining kidney beans).

Sweet potato wedges

I absolutely love sweet potato as it makes a delicious mash, wedge or jacket potato. It's also great added in chunks to a curry. As I use it a lot, I tend to keep a bag of it in the freezer, cut into (skin on) wedges. It makes an easy fix for adding a complex carbohydrate to a meal. For this recipe, the wedges can be made once the chicken has been added to the mixture and left to simmer (stage 3, above).

To make the wedges (featured below), you will need:

• Half a large sweet potato per person, cut into wedges
• 1-2 tbsp polenta
• Splash of olive oil
• Optional: smoked paprika

Method:

1. Add the wedges to a pan of hot water and boil for 5-10 minutes (until a fork can go through the flesh).
2. Drain the wedges, and add to a hot frying plan containing a splash of olive oil. Coat the wedges in the oil and sprinkle over the polenta. Toss the wedges around the pan. 
3. Preheat an oven to 180 degrees centigrade (see my page for conversions here) With the frying pan on a low heat, stir the wedges occasionally until they have a browned slightly.
4. Put the wedges on a baking tray (lined with parchment or tin foil).Sprinkle on the paprika (if using) and place in the top of the oven for another 5-10 minutes, turning once.
5. The wedges are ready to come out of the oven when they are browned, but not burned. The polenta adds a slight crunch to the wedge and gives it that restaurant texture, but it's not essential to the recipe.

I served my stew with a tortilla wrap, a few wedges and a rocket salad dressed with grated parmesan, olive oil and balsamic vinegar.