Sri Lankan Chicken Curry

Recipe for traditional Sri Lankan chicken curry. Made with homemade curry masala powder. The curry goes well with rotti, rice and hoppers. Recipe with step by step pictures.

Here is a recipe for traditional Sri Lankan style chicken curry that I learnt from Chef Palitha Dewage during my trip to the beautiful nation in 2017. This dish is very robust, spicy and goes very well with hoppers , string hoppers and even rice .

Sri Lankan style Curry powder is used for this recipe. If you can get hold of it in a place where you live, use it. I made my own curry powder recipe from scratch and here it is!!!

First lets make a homemade curry powder for this recipe. Heat a heavy pan on low flame. Add in all the ingredients listed under curry powder. Just a couple of things. Don’t go over board with fenugreek seeds. Too much will make the curry bitter. Regarding what kind of rice to use, it really does not matter. Just use whatever rice you have on hand. Parboiled, raw rice, basmati, whatever…..It will work!!! Slowly roast all the ingredients till the spices turn fragrant and the mustard seeds slowly starts to pop here and there. The rice would have slightly turned brown.

Set aside everything on a plate to cool. Transfer the cooled ingredients to a mixie. Grind to a smooth powder. Set aside.

Marinate the chicken with the marination ingredients. Set aside for 30 minutes. Make sure that the pieces are small. If using chicken legs, make some gashes so the masalas can permeate well.

Heat coconut oil in a pan and add in the cinnamon and cardamom. If you can get hold of the Sri Lankan cinnamon, use that. I used my last lot of Sri Lankan cinnamon that is remaining from my last trip. I store all my spices in the freezer so it stays fresh for a long time without turning rancid or losing its potency. Most of the Cinnamon we use here in India is actually cassia. Ceylon Cinnamon quills will resemble a tightly rolled cigar once dried. Cassia tends to be a dark brown-red color with thicker sticks and a rougher texture than Ceylon cinnamon. One of the primary differences between cinnamon and cassia is the coumarin content.

Add in the curry leaves, green chillies and sliced onions. Saute for a few minutes.

Add in the red chiili powder, black pepper powder, turmeric powder and the ground curry masala powder. Add all of the curry masala powder. Saute for a couple of minutes. Let the masalas get roasted well. The aromas from the pan should now waft the kitchen.

Add in the ginger garlic paste. saute for a minute. A note on ginger garlic paste – I ground a whole pod of garlic along with two inch piece of ginger with little water. I added half of it for the marinade and the other half while making the curry

Add in the coconut milk. Add in a cup of water. Add in the remaining salt.

A note on coconut milk I made homemade coconut milk. I ground half of a small coconut with water and made three extracts and added it to the curry. I had about 2 cups of coconut milk (thin+thick milk). If using canned coconut milk, use 1 cup of milk and 1 cup of water. Here is the link to make homemade coconut milk. https://www.kannammacooks.com/homemade-coconut-milk/

Now close the pan with a lid and lower the flame. Let it simmer for 45 minutes on a low flame. Cooking on a low flame is key to develop the flavors.

Sri Lankan chicken curry is ready.

For the curry masala

• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon rice (any variety will work)
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 clove
• 1 cardamom
• 1 teaspoon fennel
• 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• 2 sprigs curry leaves

For the marination

• 500 grams chicken on bone
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon red chilli powder (kashmiri variety)
• 1 teaspoon black pepper powder
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil

Other ingredients

• 2 tablespoon coconut oil
• 2 cardamom
• 1 inch cinnamon sticks
• 3 curry leaf sprigs
• 3 green chillies
• 1 onion, chopped (preferably red onions)
• 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon black pepper powder
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
• 1 stalk lemon grass
• 1 pandan leaf (rambai ilai)
• coconut milk from half of a coconut (see notes)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Heat a heavy pan on a low flame. Add in all the ingredients listed under curry powder. Slowly roast all the ingredients till the spices turn fragrant and the mustard seeds slowly starts to pop here and there. The rice would have slightly turned brown. Set aside everything on a plate to cool. Grind to a smooth powder. Set aside.
2. Marinate the chicken with the marination ingredients. Set aside for 30 minutes. Make sure that the pieces are small. If using chicken legs, make some gashes so the masalas can permeate well.
3. Heat coconut oil in a pan and add in the cinnamon and cardamom.
4. Add in the curry leaves, green chillies and sliced onions. Saute for a few minutes.
5. Add in the red chiili powder, black pepper powder, turmeric powder and the ground curry masala powder. Add all of the curry masala powder. Saute for a couple of minutes. Let the masalas get roasted well. The aromas from the pan should now waft the kitchen.
6. Add in the ginger garlic paste. saute for a minute.
7. Add in the marinated chicken, lemon grass and pandan leaves to the pan. Mix well to combine. Let the chicken cook for five minutes. Keep sauteing.
8. Add in the coconut milk. Add in a cup of water. Add in the remaining salt.
9. Now close the pan with a lid and lower the flame. Let it simmer for 45 minutes on a low flame. Cooking on a low flame is key to develop the flavors.
10. Sri Lankan chicken curry is ready.

Notes

A note on ginger garlic paste. I ground a whole pod of garlic along with two inch piece of ginger with little water. I added half of it for the marinade and the other half while making the curry A note on coconut milk I made homemade coconut milk. I ground half of a small coconut with water and made three extracts and added it to the curry. I had about 2 cups of coconut milk (thin+thick milk). If using canned coconut milk, use 1 cup of milk and 1 cup of water. Here is the link to make homemade coconut milk. https://www.kannammacooks.com/homemade-coconut-milk/

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hour
• Category: Curry
• Cuisine: Sri Lankan

For the curry masala

• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon rice (any variety will work)
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 clove
• 1 cardamom
• 1 teaspoon fennel
• 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• 2 sprigs curry leaves

For the marination

• 500 grams chicken on bone
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon red chilli powder (kashmiri variety)
• 1 teaspoon black pepper powder
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil

Other ingredients

• 2 tablespoon coconut oil
• 2 cardamom
• 1 inch cinnamon sticks
• 3 curry leaf sprigs
• 3 green chillies
• 1 onion, chopped (preferably red onions)
• 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon black pepper powder
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
• 1 stalk lemon grass
• 1 pandan leaf (rambai ilai)
• coconut milk from half of a coconut (see notes)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Heat a heavy pan on a low flame. Add in all the ingredients listed under curry powder. Slowly roast all the ingredients till the spices turn fragrant and the mustard seeds slowly starts to pop here and there. The rice would have slightly turned brown. Set aside everything on a plate to cool. Grind to a smooth powder. Set aside.
2. Marinate the chicken with the marination ingredients. Set aside for 30 minutes. Make sure that the pieces are small. If using chicken legs, make some gashes so the masalas can permeate well.
3. Heat coconut oil in a pan and add in the cinnamon and cardamom.
4. Add in the curry leaves, green chillies and sliced onions. Saute for a few minutes.
5. Add in the red chiili powder, black pepper powder, turmeric powder and the ground curry masala powder. Add all of the curry masala powder. Saute for a couple of minutes. Let the masalas get roasted well. The aromas from the pan should now waft the kitchen.
6. Add in the ginger garlic paste. saute for a minute.
7. Add in the marinated chicken, lemon grass and pandan leaves to the pan. Mix well to combine. Let the chicken cook for five minutes. Keep sauteing.
8. Add in the coconut milk. Add in a cup of water. Add in the remaining salt.
9. Now close the pan with a lid and lower the flame. Let it simmer for 45 minutes on a low flame. Cooking on a low flame is key to develop the flavors.
10. Sri Lankan chicken curry is ready.

Notes

A note on ginger garlic paste. I ground a whole pod of garlic along with two inch piece of ginger with little water. I added half of it for the marinade and the other half while making the curry A note on coconut milk I made homemade coconut milk. I ground half of a small coconut with water and made three extracts and added it to the curry. I had about 2 cups of coconut milk (thin+thick milk). If using canned coconut milk, use 1 cup of milk and 1 cup of water. Here is the link to make homemade coconut milk. https://www.kannammacooks.com/homemade-coconut-milk/

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hour
• Category: Curry
• Cuisine: Sri Lankan

Find it online : https://www.kannammacooks.com/srilankan-chicken-curry/

This recipe goes well with idli and dosa. Potatoes are simmered in a coconut based gravy and is simple to make and very tasty.

Here is how to do Potato Kurma.

Wash and cut the potatoes in half. Boil the potatoes with 1.5 cups water in a pressure cooker for exactly two whistles / five minutes. Remove from heat and let the pressure from the cooker, release naturally. Strain the water and peel the potatoes. Set aside.

Grind the raw masala paste adding a cup of water to a smooth paste. Refer to the ingredients listed for the masala paste given in the recipe at the bottom of the page. I forgot to take the final picture of the paste. Add water while grinding and make a fine paste. Set aside.

Heat oil in a pan and add in the mustard seeds. Let the mustard seeds crackle. Add in the sliced onions and saute till the onions are soft.

Once the onions are soft, add in couple of country tomatoes – (naatu thakkali). Add in the salt and saute till the tomatoes are juiced down.

Add in the green chillies, turmeric powder and red chilli powder. Saute for a minute.

Add in the curry leaves at this stage and add in a cup of water.

Let the gravy simmer for five minutes. Add in the ground masala paste to the pan.

Wash the mixie with a cup of water and add it back to the pan. Lets not waste all the masalas sticking to the mixie. If the gravy is very thick, add some more water to dilute the gravy.

Gently break the potatoes by hand and add it to the pan.

Cover the pan with a lid and allow it to simmer for 12-15 minutes on a low flame. Mix every five minutes once so the gravy does not stick to the bottom of the pan.

Remove from heat and add in the lime juice and coriander leaves.

Serve with idli and dosa.

For the raw masala paste

• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 inch piece ginger
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1/2 inch piece cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon fried gram dal (pottu kadalai)
• 1/2 cup fresh shredded coconut

Other Ingredients

• 3 potatoes
• 1 tablespoon peanut oil
• 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 country tomatoes, diced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 green chillies, sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• juice of half a lemon / lime
• 2 sprigs coriander leaves, chopped

1. Wash and cut the potatoes in half. Boil the potatoes with 1.5 cups water in a pressure cooker for exactly two whistles / five minutes. Remove from heat and let the pressure from the cooker release naturally. Strain the water and peel the potatoes. Set aside.
2. Grind The raw masala paste adding a cup of water to a smooth paste.
3. Heat oil in a pan and add in the mustard seeds. Let the mustard seeds crackle. Add in the sliced onions and saute till the onions are soft.
4. Once the onions are soft, add in couple of country tomatoes – (naatu thakkali). Add in the salt and saute till the tomatoes are juiced down.
5. Add in the green chillies, turmeric powder and red chilli powder. Saute for a minute.
6. Add in the curry leaves at this stage and add in a cup of water.
7. Let the gravy simmer for five minutes. Add in the ground masala paste to the pan.
8. Wash the mixie with a cup of water and add it back to the pan. If the gravy is very thick, add some more water to dilute the gravy.
9. Gently break the potatoes by hand and add it to the pan. Cover the pan with a lid and allow it to simmer for 12-15 minutes on a low flame.
10. Remove from heat and add in the lime juice and coriander leaves.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins
• Category: Side Dish
• Cuisine: Tamilnadu