Sri Lankan chicken curry

Ingredients

For 6 servings.

1 cup = 240 ml; 1 tablespoon = 15 ml; 1 teaspoon = 5 ml. Use metric quantities where stated. Times and servings are indicative.

• 900 g bone-in chicken, cut into small pieces
• 2–3 tbsp coconut oil
• 1/2 onion, 4 garlic cloves and 2.5 cm ginger, chopped
• 6–7 curry leaves
• 2 1/2 tbsp roasted Sri Lankan curry powder
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1/2 tsp salt, adjustable
• 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder and 1 tbsp unsmoked paprika
• 2 green chillies and 3 small diced tomatoes
• 2 tsp brown sugar, adjustable
• 2 tsp lime juice
• 120 ml coconut milk and 120 ml water

Step-by-step method

1. Prepare similarly sized chicken pieces so they cook evenly.
2. Heat coconut oil and soften onion; add garlic and ginger and stir without burning.
3. Add curry powder, chilli powder, paprika, cinnamon and curry leaves. Cook for a few minutes, stirring.
4. Add chicken, green chillies, salt, tomatoes and half the sugar. Cook uncovered over medium-high heat for 10 minutes.
5. Add coconut milk, water and lime; cover and simmer gently for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Check chicken is cooked and adjust salt and sugar. Uncover to reduce if needed and serve with rice or roti.