03/06/2013
Chicken Curry. (Jaffna Style)
கோழிக்கறி (ஈழத்தமிழர் முறைப்படி சமைத்தது)
1 1/2 kg chicken
100 g onions, sliced
4 cups thick & thin coconut milk
1 tbsp Jaffna curry powder (see below)
1 sprig curry leaves
1 lime
500 g potatoes
5 green chilies, slit
5 cm pieces of rampa & lemon grass (see below)
2 tsp fragrant powder (see below)
1 tbsp oil
salt to taste
1. Skin, clean & cut chicken into pieces
2. Peel and cut the potatoes
3. Fry the onions, green chillies, curry leaves, rampa and lemon grass in a pan until the onions are browned. Stir in the chicken, potatoes and salt. Cover and cook for five minutes.
4. Pour in the coconut milk with the curry owder. Stir, cover and cook till the gravy is thick.
5. Stir in the fragrant powder. Cook for one minute. Remove from the heat and add lime juice.
Notes: Jaffna curry powder is 500 g chillies, 100g pepper, 200 g cumin, 10 cm powdered tumeric, 500 g coriander, 100g fennel or sweet cumin, 50 g fenugreek (optional) 3-4 sprigs curry leaves. Roast seperately in a small frying pan until fragrant, mix and grind to a powder.
Rampa is panadus or screw pine.
Fragrant powder is the equivalent of 'garam masala' from north India, i.e. a mixture of cinammon, cloves, cardamon, nutmeg & fennel (optional).