SRILANKAN CHICKEN CURRY

Here is a recipe of delicious Sri Lankan Chicken Curry. This is one of my favourites as it has a nice and flavourful gravy to go with plain rice. The freshly grounded spice mix adds to the flavours. My version is not very hot as I have used Kashmiri chillies for the colour.  You can increase the spice level by adding spicy variety of red chillies if you like.

Ingredients:
To Make the Ceylon Curry Powder:
Coriander seeds .. 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds ...... 1 tbsp
Fennel seeds ...... 1/2 tbsp
Methi seeds ....... 1/4 tsp
Raw rice ............. 2 tbsps
Black pepper corns ... 1 tsp
Green cardamoms .. 5
Cloves ................... 5
Mace /Jaiphal ........ 1 small piece
Cinnamon stick ..... 2-3 small pieces
Dry red chillies ... 3-4 (I used Kashmiri chillies)
Curry leaves ....... 1 sprig

For the Curry:
Chicken ... 500 gms
Onions...... 1 cup finely diced
Tomatoes .... 2
Ginger paste .. 1/2 tbsp
Garlic paste ... 1 tbsp
Tamarind juice ... 3-4 tbsps
Turmeric powder ... 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder ... 1 tsp
Coriander powder .. 1 tsp
Red chilli powder ... 1/4 tsp
Coriander leaves ...  handful
Curry leaves ......... 1 sprig
Cinnamon .... 1" piece
Black cardamom... 1
Bay leaves .... 1-2
Salt ................... to taste
Coconut milk ..... 1/2 cup (I used ready milk 1 sachet of 200 ml)
Oil ............... 5-6 tbsps

Method:

Clean the chicken and marinate with salt, turmeric, cumin, coriander, red chilli powders, salt and tamarind juice.

Mix well and set aside for couple of hours in the refrigerator.

Dry roast the spices in List 1.

Grind them and store in a sterilized dry container.

Heat oil in a clay pot or a pan.Add the cinnamon, bay leaves and black cardamom.

Next add the ginger garlic paste and saute.

Tip in the onions and saute until translucent.

Now add the curry leaves and tomatoes.

Simmer until the tomatoes are cooked.

Stir in the marinated chicken pieces.

Season with salt and the freshly prepared curry powder 2-3 tbsps. The quantity depends on your liking

.
Stir well and simmer for about 20 mins stirring in between.

The chicken gets cooked in its own juices.

When it is almost done add the coconut milk.

 Add a little water depending on how much gravy you like. Allow it to simmer for a minute or two and add the coriander leaves.

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