Sri Lankan Black Chicken Curry with Toasted Coconut

Method

1. Put a dry 20 cm frying pan over medium-low heat, toast the rice for about a minute, then add the coriander, cumin, fennel, peppercorns, dried chillies, cardamom and cloves and stir non-stop for 4 min. When the rice and coriander are as dark as coffee beans and a wisp of smoke rises, tip everything onto a plate to cool. Black means bitter, so stir more often as the colour deepens.

   Add in this stepRaw rice 1 tspCoriander seeds 1½ tbspCumin seeds 1 tspFennel seeds ¾ tspBlack peppercorns ½ tspDried red chillies 2Green cardamom pods 3Whole cloves 3

   medium-low heat

2. In the same pan, toast the coconut over medium-low heat for 3 min, until deep mahogany. Grind it with the cooled spices in an electric grinder to a very fine roasted curry powder; if coconut clumps remain, add a spoonful of water and grind to a thick paste. Divide the powder and the paste into halves.

   Add in this stepDesiccated coconut (unsweetened) 3 tbsp

   medium-low heat

3. Cut each chicken thigh through the bone into 2 or 3 large pieces and pat very dry. Rub with the turmeric, salt and half the roasted curry powder and marinate for 30 min. Wash your hands and tools straight after handling raw chicken. Meanwhile, thinly slice the shallots, finely chop the garlic and ginger, slit the chillies and bruise the lemongrass.

   Add in this stepChicken thighs, bone-in 600 gGround turmeric ½ tspSalt ¾ tsp

4. Heat half the oil in a heavy, wide pot (24–28 cm) over medium-high heat. Lay the chicken in skin-side down without crowding and brown in 1 batch(es), 6 min in total. Leave it untouched for the first 2 minutes so a brown crust forms. When golden all over, lift onto a plate; it will still be raw inside.

   Add in this stepCoconut oil 1¼ tbsp

   medium-high heat

5. Lower the heat to medium heat, add the remaining oil, then the cinnamon, curry leaves, pandan and lemongrass (they will spit) and stir for a few seconds. Add the shallots, garlic, ginger and chillies and fry for 6 min, until the shallots are deep golden and the brown bits on the bottom have dissolved into them.

   Add in this stepCoconut oil 1¼ tbspCinnamon stick (3 cm piece) 1Curry leaves (sprigs) 2Pandan leaf (5 cm piece) 1Lemongrass stalk 1Shallots, thinly sliced 120 gGarlic cloves 5Fresh ginger 15 gGreen chillies 2

   medium heat

6. Stir in the rest of the curry powder for 30 seconds, then return the chicken with its resting juices, add the tamarind and water and scrape the bottom. Bring to the boil over medium-high heat, then turn down to low heat, cover and simmer for 28 min.

   Add in this stepTamarind paste 1½ tspWater 200 ml

   medium-high heat→low heat

7. Stir in the coconut milk and the coconut paste and simmer uncovered over low heat for 8 min, until the gravy is dark brown and glossy and a little oil gleams at the edges. Check the thickest piece has no pink at the bone (75 °C), then season with the remaining salt.

   Add in this stepThick, full-fat coconut milk 200 mlSalt ¼ tsp

   low heat

8. Turn off the heat and leave for 10 min so the chicken soaks up the gravy. Remove the whole spices and serve with rice, coconut sambol and blanched greens.