Sri Lankan Chicken Curry (Kukul Mas Kari, කුකුල් මස් කරි)! Learn how to make authentic Sri Lankan Chicken Curry! A recipe with step-by-step photos, useful info plus helpful tips. If you love hot and spicy curries, this is the best Sri Lankan authentic chicken curry you will ever make.
What makes this recipe unique?
Marinated chicken is cooked in a hot spicy tangy red gravy full of flavors. The gravy is made with a chili paste, fresh herbs, and with a lot of flavorful and fragrant spices. So, you will get a wonderful thick red gravy extremely flavorful, rich in aroma and so delicious!
Don’t worry too much about the long ingredient list. Once you have everything together, this chicken curry is very easy to make. You can cook it in advance and then you’ll find that it’s even more delicious the next day.
About the Sri Lankan Chicken curry recipe
The recipe that I am sharing today is an adaptation of Amma’s (my mother’s) chicken curry recipe. My mother makes a curry paste, every time, right before making her chicken curry. She usually grinds the soaked dried chilies, fresh ingredients, and roasted whole spices altogether to make a curry paste. She makes the curry paste using a grinding stone, the traditional way. The grinding stone is called Miris Gala (මිරිස් ගල) in Sinhalese.
I adapted the recipe to meet my needs and resources as I wanted to make it the easy way. So, I used my food processor to make the chili paste and then used pre-made roasted curry powder instead of grinding whole spices.
Is this Chicken Curry hot?
Yes, this is a hot and spicy chicken curry.
I used a lot of dried chilies in the chili paste as well as chili powder, green chilies, and black pepper powder to make this curry, so without a doubt, it is a hot and spicy chicken curry.
Sri Lankan chili powder is very hot. However, here in Japan, I usually use a mix of Chinese and South Korean chili powder as both are readily available in Japan. Chinese chili powder for heat and South Korean chili powder for a bright red hue without much heat. If you can find Kashmiri chili powder, it also gives a nice red color.
How to Make A Mild Chicken Curry
The good news is you can make this chicken curry to suit your heat tolerance level, just adjusting the amount of chili you use. Use a few dry chilies when making the chili paste and then reduce the amount of chili powder and black pepper as you’d like. And you can avoid using fresh green chilies. If you don’t like hot chili powders, you can use mild paprika powder instead.
I didn’t use coconut milk to make this chicken curry as I wanted it to be hot and spicy. However, you can add some coconut milk to balance the chili heat of the curry.
Please note that roasted curry powder doesn’t give much heat even if it contains a bit of chili powder, so I don’t recommend reducing the amount of curry powder you use as overall it makes the curry more flavorful.
THE CHILI PASTE
The chili paste is made with soaked dry red chilies, onion, ginger, garlic, fresh green chilies, curry leaves, pandan leaves, and lemongrass. I use a food processor to make the paste and it is the easiest way. You can also do this part by hand using a pestle and mortar.
I added oil instead of water to grind soaked chilies and fresh ingredients as it helps to preserve the paste for longer. You can use water but it will shorten the life of your paste.
This recipe will make enough for 2 – 3 average curry dishes. I used half of the paste to make this curry that I made with about 500 g of chicken.
You can keep this paste in the refrigerator for about 3 days if tightly sealed. I usually make curry paste in large batches and then freeze it for later use. Make sure to put it in single-use bags and then whenever you need to make a curry, you’ll have great fresh curry paste in no time.
CURRY POWDER
For this Chicken Curry, I used homemade Sri Lankan Roasted Curry Powder (Badapu Thunapaha, බැදපු තුනපහ). When you make Sri Lankan curries, I would highly recommend you make your own Sri Lankan curry powders for authentic flavor and taste.
The hardest part is collecting the ingredients and making the curry powder. So it asks for your time and patience. However, if you make it yourself, it does really make a difference. Once you made it, the Roasted Curry Powder can be stored for up to a year and used in other Sri Lankan meat and other dishes too.
SUBSTITUTES FOR CURRY POWDER
You can substitute Sri Lankan curry powder with other curry powders like madras curry powder if you really must, but the taste more or less can be different.
Sri Lankan Curry Powder Recipes
CLICK HERE FOR THE RECIPE How to make Sri Lankan Roasted Curry Powder with tips
Here is a recipe for making Sri Lankan 3-spice curry powder for mild vegetable curries.
CLICK HERE FOR THE RECIPE How to Make Sri Lankan 3-Spice Curry Powder (Thuna Paha)
Exotic Ingredients
CURRY LEAVES (KARAPINCHA)
Fresh curry leaves (Karapincha in Sinhalese) are an essential ingredient in Sri Lankan cooking and have a distinctive, flavor and fragrance. The best substitutes for fresh curry leaves are using frozen curry leaves. If you cannot find curry leaves, just skip them. They are edible and have many health benefits.
PANDAN ((RAMPE)
Along with curry leaves, Pandan leaves are also a widely used ingredient in Sri Lankan cooking, especially when making curries to give aroma and flavor. You can buy it fresh, or frozen at some Asian food stores, as well as online. It is not edible, so please remove them before serving.
Lemongrass (Sera)
Lemongrass (stalk) is used mostly in meat curries for adding flavor and aroma. You can find it in fresh or frozen forms and buy it at some Asian food stores, as well as online. It is not edible, so please remove them before serving.
GREEN CHILIES
In Sri Lanka, green chilies are widely used as a cooking ingredient. They add a milder heat and enhance the flavor of the curries beyond just pure heat. You can skip them altogether if you don’t like them or if you don’t have them.
tamarind
Tamarind adds a nice sourness to this chicken curry. If you cannot find it, you can substitute it with vinegar, lime, or lemon juice. Soak tamarind in hot water for about 10 minutes before adding it to the curry and make sure to remove the seeds if there are any.
USEFUL INFO
What Part of Chicken to Use
In Sri Lanka, whole chicken, cutting it into pieces with or without the skin, is used. But here in Japan, I usually use a mix of chicken parts including boneless chicken thighs, bone-in chicken thighs, and chicken legs. I prefer to use the chicken with bones whenever possible as they make the chicken gravy more flavorful. You can also make it with boneless chicken if you must.
MARINATION
The secret to a delicious chicken curry is marination as it helps chicken pieces absorb the spices and then tenderize the meat. So, don’t skip the marination process. Make sure to marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes. If time permits marinate for 1-2 hours. I sometimes marinate the chicken a day before and refrigerate it. Then, the next day, you will have your chicken curry in no time.
Cooking curry in a clay pot
In Sri Lanka, curries are traditionally cooked in clay pots, and food cooked in clay pots tastes so good. So, I usually cook all my curries in clay pots and highly recommend using clay pots for cooking curries.
FRYING MUSTARD SEEDS IN HOT OIL
They are not actually fried in oil but crackled instantly so the aroma of the mustard oil in it is absorbed in the oil making the gravy more flavorful. The aroma and flavor of mustard come from the essential oil contained inside the seeds.
ADJUST THE CONSISTENCY OF CURRY GRAVY
In this curry, the consistency of the gravy is on the thinner side as I like it that way. However, if you want your curry to have a thicker gravy, you can reduce the amount of liquid used, or simmer your curry until it becomes thicker. And you can also add some thick coconut milk.
Helpful Tips
- Traditionally coconut oil is used. Rice oil is a good substitution.
- Don’t dump in all the ingredients at once, for best results follow the instructions and make sure to stir-fry the ingredients separately. Each ingredient has to be cooked properly so the flavors can be in harmony
- Be careful not to burn spices when you stir-fry them.
- Make sure to stir the curry occasionally throughout the cooking process.
- After you cook the curry, let it sit for a while. This allows the chicken to absorb the flavors of the curry and thicken the gravy.
what to serve with chicken curry
In Sri Lanka, they prefer to serve chicken curry with rice and a few other side dishes. You can serve it traditional Sri Lankan way with plain rice and a few vegetable curries, pol sambol, salads, mallum, and papadam. However, just plain rice or a piece of bread is what you really want to enjoy chicken curry. And it also goes well with appa, indiappa, roti, naan, chapati, or paratha.
How Do You Store Chicken Curry
Your curry needs to cool down to room temperature before placing it in the fridge. Store leftover chicken curry in an airtight container in the fridge for about 3 to 4 days. If you like to freeze it, put it in a zip lock bag and then in the freezer for about 3 to 4 months. You can reheat chicken curry in the microwave or on the stovetop.
MORE RECIPES TO TRY!
How about serving this chicken curry with Sri Lankan Kottu, Coconut Roti, or Roast Paan?
SRI LANKAN CHICKEN CURRY (Kukul Mas Kari)
Step-by-step recipe
Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 40 mins
Marinating Time 30 mins
Total Time 1 hr 20 mins
Servings 4 to 6
Ingredients
For the chili paste
10 dried red chilies, soaked in hot water
1 small onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1-inch ginger, chopped
2 green chilies, chopped
6 curry leaves
2-inch pandan leaves, chopped
2-inch lemongrass, chopped
2 tbsp oil, for grinding
Marinade for the chicken
500g bone-in chicken thighs (or whole chicken pieces cut up)
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp roasted curry powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
For the curry
3 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
3 cloves
2 cardamoms
1-inch piece of cinnamon stick
1 tsp fenugreek seeda
2-inch piece of pandan leaf
1-inch piece of lemon grass
5 curry leaves
2 fresh green chilies, diced
1 onion, diced
2 tbsp garlic, paste
1 tsp fresh ginger, paste
1 tbsp red chili powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp roasted curry powder
Salt, to taste
1/4 tsp pepper
4 to 6 pieces of tamarind, soaked in hot water
500 ml water, adjust as needed
Instructions
Soak the dried red chilies in hot water for about 1 hour. You can use more or less chilies to make the chili paste.
Prepare the fresh ingredients and chop them into small pieces as it will help to grind them easily.
Grind the soaked chilies and fresh ingredients until you have a smooth paste.
Add some oil to grind it as needed.
Soak the tamarind in warm water and set aside for use later. Make sure to remove any seeds before using them.
Prepare the chicken. Wash, drain, and pat dry with paper towels.
For marinade; roasted curry powder, chili powder, turmeric powder, vinegar, salt, and pepper.
(salt is not in the photo)
Rub them all over the chicken until evenly coated and let marinate for 30 minutes or a few hours in the fridge.
In a deep saucepan or clay pot, heat the oil over medium heat and add mustard seeds.
Once the mustard seeds start to crack, add cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and fenugreek seeds and stir fry for 1 minute to release the aroma.
Add the curry leaves, lemongrass, pandan leaf, green chilies, onion, ginger, and garlic paste, and stir fry until the onion is translucent.
Add the roasted curry powder, chili powder, turmeric powder, and salt.
Stir-fry for about 1 minute.
It is time to add the chili paste. Stir-fry for about 5 minutes until it starts to release oil and fragrant. Add more oil as needed.
Now, stir-fry the chili paste with the rest of the ingredients.
Add the marinaded chicken pieces.
Sauté the chicken pieces until they turn golden brown.
Next, add in the soaked tamarind and water and mix well.
Allow to boil.
Cook covered for about 30 minutes on low heat until a beautiful red gravy has formed and the chicken is cooked through. Make sure to check once or twice in between and stir the curry.
Red chicken curry is ready!
Serve & Enjoy!
The Best SRI LANKAN CHICKEN CURRY
(Kukul Mas Kari) PRINTABLE recipe
Sri Lankan Chicken Curry (Kukul Mas Kari)
Ingredients
For the chili paste
- 10 dried red chilies soaked in hot water
- 1 small onion chopped
- 6 cloves garlic chopped
- 1- inch ginger chopped
- 3 green chilies chopped
- 6 curry leaves
- 2- inch pandan leaves chopped
- 2- inch lemongrass chopped
- 2 tbsp oil for grinding
For marinade the chicken
- 500 g bone-in chicken thighs or whole chicken pieces cut up
- 1 tbsp red chili powder
- 1 tsp roasted curry powder
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
For making the curry
- 3 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 3 cloves
- 2 cardamoms
- 1- inch piece of cinnamon stick
- 1 tsp fenugreek seeds
- 2- inch piece of pandan leaf
- 1- inch piece of lemon grass
- 5 curry leaves
- 2 fresh green chilies diced
- 1 onion diced
- 2 tbsp garlic paste
- 1 tsp fresh ginger paste
- 1 tbsp red chili powder
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tbsp roasted curry powder
- Salt to taste
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 4 pieces tamarind soaked in hot water
- 500 ml water adjust as needed
Instructions
- Soak the dried red chilies in hot water for about 1 hour.
- Chopped the fresh ingredients as it will help to grind them easily.
- Grind the soaked chilies and fresh ingredients until you have a smooth paste.
- Add some oil to grind it as needed.
- Prepare the chicken. Wash, drain, and pat dry with paper towels.
- Prepare the marinade; roasted curry powder, chili powder, turmeric powder, vinegar, salt, and pepper.
- Rub them all over the chicken until evenly coated and let marinate for 30 minutes or a few hours in the fridge.
- In a deep saucepan or clay pot, heat the oil over medium heat and add mustard seeds.
- Once the mustard seeds start to crack, add cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and fenugreek seeds and stir fry for 1 minute.
- Add the curry leaves, lemongrass, pandan leaf, green chilies, onion, ginger, and garlic paste, and stir fry until the onion is translucent.
- Add the roasted curry powder, chili powder, turmeric powder and salt, and mix well.
- Add the chili paste and stir fry till fragrant for about 5 minutes. You will know the paste is cooked when it starts to release oil and easily slides around in the pan.
- Next, add the tamarind and water and mix well.
- Cook covered for a further 30 minutes on low heat until a beautiful red gravy has formed and the chicken is cooked through.
- Make sure to check once or twice in between and stir the curry.
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