Week 22 - A Sri Lankan feast

Join us as we head to south Asia to create a typical creamy jackfruit curry with the ubiquitous dhal, coconut sambal and some tasty coconut roti.

You will need: 3 saucepans and a frying pan

Basic ingredients (4 people)

2 tins of jackfruit (~400g each)

2 tins coconut milk

2 brown onions

2 red onions

2 tomatoes

1 fresh coconut (or you can use the desiccated stuff, 200g)

Garlic

Ginger

1 lime

1 mug of plain flour

Red lentils

Rice (of your choice)

Spices: Coriander, cumin, turmeric, cloves (4), 1 cinnamon stick, mustard seeds (preferably black), fenugreek seeds, peppercorns (or normal ground is fine), tamarind (or substitute with an extra lime & brown sugar)

Luxury ingredients (optional)

Fresh red/green chillis (if you like them!)

Curry leaves

Half cucumber and some fresh lettuce

Instructions: how to prepare your fresh your coconut

Selection of meals prepared by the foodies in this week's class

Having spent 6 weeks doing a scooter tour of Sri Lanka with The Boyfriend, tonight's class was a trip down memory lane.

Seeing an elephant on the side of the road, mountain roads and paddy fields

Jackfruit curry

Chop one onion and cook in some hot olive oil, then turn the temperature down until the onion is gently cooking while you prepare the spices (7-10mins).

Get the spices in order - this is really important so that nothing burns when you start the process.

Turn the heat up a little and add the spices, in this order, stirring after each one, to your onion:

• 3 crushed/sliced garlic cloves

• Chunk of grated ginger

• Chopped fresh chilli (optional)

• Dried chilli powder

• 2tsp mustard seeds

• 2tsp fenugreek seeds (if you only have powder, add this after the coriander)

• 4 cloves

• 6 peppercorns (or lots of ground pepper)

• 1 cinnamon stick

• 2tsp cumin powder

• 1tsp coriander powder

• 1tsp turmeric powder

• 10 curry leaves

Stir well and then add one chopped tomato to stop the spices cooking further. Add two tins of drained jackfruit and 1.5 cans of coconut milk.

Lastly, pop in 2tsp of tamarind (or juice of one lime and 1tbsp brown sugar), plus a little salt.

Bring to a simmer then move on to the daal.

Daal

As above, fry one chopped onion while you get the spices ready, then:

Turn the heat up a little and add the spices, in this order, stirring after each one, to your onion:

• 3 crushed/sliced garlic cloves

• Chunk of grated ginger

• Chopped fresh chilli (optional)

• Dried chilli powder

• 2tsp cumin powder

• 2tsp coriander powder

• 1tsp turmeric

Then add your chopped tomato to end the frying. Add in 250g of red lentils and stir around for a bit to infuse.

Then add 750ml of stock (3times liquid to your lentils). Don't add salt as this will slow down the cooking. Simmer.

Once most of your liquid is absorbed, add the remaining half a can of coconut milk and some salt. Then simmer with the lid off until you get to the consistency that you like. Cover and keep warm.

Put on your rice.

Sambal

This is best made with freshly grated coconut but you can substitute desiccated but it's a little sweeter than the real thing.

In a bowl mix:

• Half a grated coconut (or 100g desiccated coconut)

• Half a finely chopped red onion

• Fresh chopped chilli (optional)

• 1tsp chilli powder (choose mild-hot as your preference)

• Juice of one lime

• 1/2tsp of brown sugar

• 1/2tsp salt

Now taste and see, you should get an explosion of sense: sweet, salty, tangy, fresh. Adjust to your preference.

Coconut roti

Check on your daal and jackfruit curry - if the curry is getting thick, put a lid on or add a little more liquid.

On to the roti - a simple one taught to me when we stayed with a family near Knuckles Forest Reserve.

Simply mix 1 mug of flour (any kind), half a grated coconut (or 100g desiccated), 1.5 chopped red onions, fresh chopped chillis and 2tbsp of oil.

Next SLOWLY add water until you get a play dough consistency. Kneed for a little time to bring it all together into a sticky oniony dough.

Put on your frying pan to heat while you roll out the roti.

You are going for the rustic look here. Fry until golden on each side and keep warm in a tea towel until serving.

Join us for a future Tuesday cooking class or view all past recipes

Tag us on Instagram if you use any of these recipes and we'll add you to our story! @cookwithkelly