Chicken & turkey

Sri Lankan Chicken Curry

Name: Sri Lankan Chicken Curry
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Cuisine: Sri Lankan
Ingredients: 800g chicken thigh fillets, 3cm pieces; 2 (300g) onions, finely sliced; 4 cloves (20g) garlic, crushed; 20g fresh ginger, grated; 20 fresh curry leaves; 1 cinnamon stick, broken in half; 2 (200g) tomatoes, chopped; 1 tin (400ml) coconut milk; 5g (2 tsp) chilli powder; 2g ground turmeric; 15g (2 tbsp) coriander seeds; 6g (2 tsp) cumin seeds; 4g fennel seeds, cardamom pods, whole cloves, black peppercorns; 15ml lime juice; 4g salt; 15ml rapeseed oil; 200ml water

Chicken thighs in a dark, aromatic coconut curry made with freshly roasted spices, curry leaves, cinnamon and a little tomato.

makes 22 blocks, about 44p each

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Illustration of a bowl of Sri Lankan Chicken Curry

Time: 1 hr 10 min20 min prep · 50 min cook
Makes: 22 blocks
Cost per blockPer block: 44p
Calories per blockCalories: 95 kcal
Spice

Ingredients

Batch size

blocks

800gchicken thigh fillets, 3cm pieces
2 (300g)onions, finely sliced
4 cloves (20g)garlic, crushed
20gfresh ginger, grated
20fresh curry leaves
1cinnamon stick, broken in half
2 (200g)tomatoes, chopped
1 tin (400ml)coconut milk
5g (2 tsp)chilli powder
2gground turmeric
15g (2 tbsp)coriander seeds
6g (2 tsp)cumin seeds
4gfennel seeds, cardamom pods, whole cloves, black peppercorns
15mllime juice
4gsalt
15mlrapeseed oil
200mlwater

Allergens: none of the 14 major allergens in the ingredients as listed. Check the labels on stock cubes, sauces and pastes, as brands vary.

Nutrition

estimated

	1 block	3 blocks
Energy	95 kcal	285 kcal
Protein	7.5g	22.5g
Carbs	3.2g	9.6g
Fat	6g	18g
Fibre	0.9g	2.7g
Salt	0.27g	0.81g

Method

Step 1: Dry-toast the seeds, cardamom, cloves, peppercorns and half the cinnamon over a medium heat until a shade darker. Cool and grind. (6 min)
Step 2: Toss the chicken with 2 tbsp of the powder, the chilli powder, turmeric and half the salt.
Step 3: Fry the curry leaves and remaining cinnamon in the oil in a casserole over a medium heat for 30 seconds, then the onions until golden. (10 min)
Step 4: Add the garlic and ginger for 1 minute, then the chicken until it changes colour. (5 min)
Step 5: Add the tomatoes, water and remaining powder, cover and simmer gently (20 min). Add the coconut milk and simmer uncovered until thick. (10 min)
Step 6: Remove the cinnamon, add the lime juice and remaining salt, then cool and freeze in 70g blocks.

Hotter: add 2 slit green chillies with the onions, or 1 tsp more chilli powder.

Serve it

Basmati or red rice with coconut sambol · With roti or flatbreads · Rice and a simple dal

Nutrition (estimated)
	kcal	protein	carbs	fat	fibre	salt
Per block	95	7.5g	3.2g	6g	0.9g	0.27g
Per 3 blocks	285	22.5g	9.6g	18g	2.7g	0.81g

Cook’s notes

Make double the roasted powder and keep it in a jar for a month, or use 20g ready-made Sri Lankan roasted curry powder.
Curry leaves freeze well; use them straight from frozen.

Serve it

Basmati or red rice with coconut sambol · With roti or flatbreads · Rice and a simple dal.

Freeze, reheat and serve

Freeze: Cool it within two hours, portion it into 70g blocks in a silicone tray, then bag and label them. It keeps for 3 months.
Reheat: Microwave 3 blocks, covered, for 1 minute, stir, then heat for another 1 to 2 minutes until piping hot all the way through. Or warm them in a pan with a splash of water. Never refreeze thawed blocks.
A portion: 3 blocks (210g) make a dinner for one adult: about 285 kcal and 22.5g protein before rice, bread or potatoes.

Sri Lankan Chicken Curry questions

Why roast the curry powder?

Toasting the whole spices until they darken gives Sri Lankan curry its deep, nutty, slightly smoky flavour, unlike the lighter, unroasted blends used in much Indian cooking. Keep the pan moving and take it off the heat as soon as they smell toasty, as they burn quickly.

Can I use dried curry leaves?

Dried curry leaves have much less flavour, so use twice as many. If you can't find any, leave them out; the curry will be a little less fragrant.

Can I use chicken breast?

Breast works but dries out more easily. Add it with the coconut milk in step 5 instead of step 4 and simmer for 12 minutes, until just cooked through.