Sri Lankan Chicken & Potato Curry

Flicking through my copy of Lorraine Pascale's cookbook, I found a recipe for a "really simple" Sri Lankan curry. It seemed a bit sparse to me, so I adapted it. It was quite tasty (much better than her Tikka Masala!) but was slightly hot for my tastes (a wimp!!). I also made her Roti Jala (net bread, find recipe here) to have alongside. I allowed mine to simmer for a lot longer than her recipe suggests, which made the chicken lovely & tender. I prefer the taste of a longer cooked curry. You could serve this with rice if you liked.

2 tablespoons curry powder (choose your own strength, I used mild madras)
2 teaspoons garam masala
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1-3 teaspoons chilli powder (decide your own strength)
4 chicken breasts, diced
1 medium onion, diced
Vegetable oil
400ml tin coconut milk
100ml water
1 garlic clove, crushed
5 new potatoes, chopped in half
Large handful of frozen peas
Salt & pepper

Heat a large pan on a medium high heat. Add all the dry spices & toast for 2 minutes (no oil). Add a small amount of vegetable oil & add the onion. Cook the onion until softened (about 5 minutes). Add the chicken, and toss in the spices. Cook for 4 minutes, until browned. Remove the pan from the heat & pour in the coconut milk and water and then add the garlic. Return to the heat & allow to simmer for 10 minutes. Add the potatoes & peas and allow to simmer for 45 minutes. Season and serve with fresh coriander sprinkled on top.