Sri Lankan rice and curry

Ingredients

• 320 g basmati rice
• 700 ml water
• 600 g boneless chicken thighs
• 180 g red lentils
• 300 g green beans
• 600 ml coconut milk
• 120 g unsweetened shredded coconut
• 3 pieces red onion
• 5 cloves garlic
• 35 g fresh ginger
• 2 pieces tomato
• 2 pieces lime
• 2 pieces fresh green chile
• 1 piece fresh red chile
• 18 leaves fresh or dried curry leaves
• 2 leaves frozen pandan leaf
• 1 piece cinnamon stick
• 4 pieces green cardamom pods
• 2 tsp black mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
• 3 tbsp Sri Lankan roasted curry powder
• 2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 5 tbsp neutral oil
• to taste fine salt

Method

1. Rinse the rice until the water runs almost clear, then cook it with water, salt, and a pandan leaf; cover and let steam until the grains are tender, separate, and fragrant.
2. Heat oil in a Dutch oven or heavy pot, add mustard seeds, fenugreek, cinnamon, cardamom, curry leaves, and pandan; once the seeds pop and turn fragrant, add onion, garlic, ginger, and green chile.
3. Add the chicken, Sri Lankan roasted curry powder, ground turmeric, chili powder, and salt; stir to coat the meat evenly and toast the spices against the bottom of the pot without scorching.
4. Stir in the tomatoes and coconut milk, then simmer over low heat until the chicken is cooked through, oil separates at the surface, and the sauce is glossy and thick enough to coat a spoon.
5. Meanwhile, cook the red lentils with onion, garlic, turmeric, curry leaves, salt, and coconut milk until you have a smooth, creamy dhal with just a bit of texture remaining.
6. Prepare a tempering for the dhal with oil, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, and onion; pour it sizzling hot over the lentils once the onion turns golden and the spices smell nutty.
7. Saute the green beans with onion, garlic, turmeric, curry leaves, and salt; splash in a little coconut milk and cook just until the beans are tender-crisp and bright green.
8. Combine the shredded coconut with finely chopped red onion, red chile, red pepper flakes, lime juice, and salt; massage with your hands or the back of a spoon until the pol sambol is moist, spicy, and tangy.
9. Mound the rice in the center or to one side of the platter, surround it with the chicken curry, dhal, coconut green beans, and pol sambol; serve with lime wedges for squeezing over top.

Nutrition

Per serving

Energy

698 kcal

Protein

22.51 g

Carbohydrate

51.83 g

Fat

45.12 g

Fibre

11.05 g

Calcium

97.81 mg

Iron

7.16 mg

Magnesium

91.66 mg