Sri Lankan Chicken Curry

We made our first trip to Sri Lanka earlier this year and of course apart from reconnecting with old friends, food was a big part of the agenda. However, we were severely disappointed to a large extent as we never got good food. But, not to settle with that, we bought some spice mix to try cooking back at home. And this is where we found gold !! The Sri Lankan Kalu Pol curry mix is a blast. Made with interesting ingredients it gave the humble chicken curry a whole new dimension. Try finding this spice mix or better still, try making at home.

Ingredients

For Marination

1 small full chicken, cut in 8 pieces
3-4 tbsp curd
1 tsp red chilly powder
salt

For curry

6 cloves of garlic - minced

1 green chilly - slit in between

1 inch piece of ginger - grated

4 onions - chopped

2 tomatoes - chopped

1 tbs tamrind paste (adjust to taste)

1 green cardamom

1 black cardamom

2 cloves

7-8 black peppercorn

1 inch piece of cinnamon

2 Bay leaves

1/2 tsp cumin

2 tbsp Sri Lankan kalu pol powder

Salt
Ghee

Method

1. In a wok, heat ghee. Add cumin, cardamoms, cloves, peppercorn, cinnamon, bay leaves and let it cook for 1 min.

2. Now add ginger, garlic and green chilly paste followed by onion. Cook till onion gets golden brown.

3. Add tomatoes to the wok and let it cook on slow gas for 4-5 mins.

4. Now add chicken to wok, after a boil cover it with a lid and then cook for about 20-25 mins.

5. Add tamarind paste and Sri Lankan spice powder to wok and after 2-3 mins, add water as per desired consistency.

Serve hot with steam rice.