Sri Lankan Chicken Curry

This Sri Lankan chicken curry recipe is hot and full of flavor from tamarind, roasted spices, and coconut milk. Serve with basmati or jasmine rice.

• Preparation Time: 25 mins
• Cooking Time: 35 mins
• Total Time: 60 mins
• Calories: 393 Calories

Ingredients

• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon salt, or to taste
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 6 whole cloves
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 8 green cardamom pods
• 4 green chile peppers, halved lengthwise
• 3 (6 ounce) boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 12 curry leaves
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger root, crushed
• 1 (2 inch) cinnamon stick, broken in half
• 3 tablespoons roasted Madras curry powder
• 0.5 cup water
• 0.5 (14 ounce) can coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon tamarind juice
• 0.25 cup Madras curry powder
• 1.5 tablespoons tomato paste

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces. Combine 1/4 cup curry powder, vinegar, salt, black pepper, and tamarind juice in a glass or ceramic bowl. Add chicken; toss to coat.

Step 2

Heat coconut oil in a wok or skillet over medium heat. Add sliced onion, green chiles, curry leaves, cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon stick, and ginger; cook until onion softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low; continue cooking and stirring until onion is very tender and dark brown, 15 to 20 minutes more. Stir in garlic; cook 1 minute more.

Step 3

Add chicken mixture, water, and tomato paste; stir and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Add 3 tablespoons roasted curry powder; stir until evenly dispersed.

Step 4

Gradually stir in coconut milk; simmer 2 to 3 minutes. (Do not overheat or coconut milk may curdle.)