Recipe
Sri Lankan Chicken Curry
1 whole chicken fryer
Curry Powder
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Other Ingredients for Curry
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 bulb lemongrass
4 sprigs curry leaves
1/2-inch piece of cinnamon stick
4 cardamon pods
2 large yellow onions,peeled and chopped
2 teaspoons minced ginger
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon tumeric
3 tablespoons tamarind juice
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Salt to taste
1/2 cup coconut milk
Directions
Wash chicken inside and out. Skin and joint the chicken. Cut into serving portions, removing backbone and wing tips (save these for the stockpot). In a skillet, partially roast coriander; add cumin, fennel, and roast until seeds are crisp, about 3 to 4 minutes. In a spice grinder, grind the roasted seeds to a fine powder. Roast the paprika and cayenne pepper in the same skillet for a few seconds and add to the ground spices.
Heat oil on medium heat in a skillet. Sauté lemongrass, curry leaves, cinnamon stick, and cardamon pods until onion turns a gold color. Add roasted spices and tumeric; cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes. Turn down heat and add chicken;mix to coat well with spices. Add tamarind juice, lemon juice,and salt to taste. Stir,cover,and cook on low heat for 40 minutes. Stir in coconut milk and simmer for 5 minutes.
Presentation:Serve the chicken in a deep dish, with rice and chutney in separate dishes. Serves 6.
Use instant tamarind or place 1/4 pound seedless tamarind in a nonreactive bowl, pour in 2 cups hot water,and cover for 2 hours. Crush with a wooden spoon and strain into another bowl,using the back of the spoon to push out pulp in the strainer. Discard fibrous membrane and pith. Store juice in a covered glass jar. Keeps well in the refrigerator for 2 weeks. Yields 1-1/2 cups.
