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Photograph of Hoppers' Chicken Curry

Hoppers' Chicken Curry

This wonderful, fragrant spicy Chicken Curry is a Sri Lankan classic. Chunks of chicken are marinated in a ginger and garlic paste with turmeric and curry powder. It is then cooked until tender in a richly flavoured curry sauce, enhanced with extra chilli, cardamom, lemongrass, tomatoes and coconut.

Serves 4 - 5

Course Main Course
Cuisine Sri Lankan
Keyword chicken, curry

Ingredients

Chicken and marinade:

  • 1kg boneless chicken breast or thigh, in 2½ cm cubes
  • 20g garlic, peeled and crushed
  • 10g fresh ginger root, finely grated (I don't peel)
  • 2 teaspoons Sri Lankan un-roasted curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon fine salt

Curry sauce:

  • 6 tablespoons/90g coconut oil
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 8 green cardamom pods, bashed
  • 8 whole cloves
  • 300g/2 medium onions, peeled and chopped or sliced
  • 40g garlic, peeled and finely chopped
  • 40g fresh ginger root, finely chopped (I don't peel)
  • 2 – 3 tablespoons Sri Lankan roasted curry powder, to taste
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1 – 2 teaspoons chilli powder (I use 1 teaspoon chilli powder but the powder I buy is already very hot)
  • 2 sticks lemongrass, lightly bashed
  • 20 – 24 fresh curry leaves
  • 180g ripe tomatoes – around 4 medium tomatoes, pulsed in the food processor
  • 500ml chicken stock
  • 250ml coconut cream taken from the top of the coconut milk can
  • 2 green chillies, halved length ways (optional)
  • ¼ – ½ teaspoon fine salt

Serve:

  • steamed rice, roti (flat breads), green salad/vegetables

Instructions

  1. Collect together your equipment (see Recipe Notes below) and ingredients.

  2. Marinate the chicken: chop the chicken into roughly 2½ cm cubes and mix thoroughly with the garlic, ginger, curry powder, turmeric and salt. Marinate at room temperature for at least an hour or for up to 24 hours, covered and in the fridge.

  3. Make the curry sauce: place a cast iron pan or heavy based saucepan over a moderately high heat. Add the coconut oil to the pan and, when hot, add the cinnamon, cardamom pods and cloves. Cook until sizzling and fragrant, around a minute.

  4. Peel and slice or chop the onion. I like mine finely chopped so pulse in the food processor. Add to the pan and cook for 10 minutes until soft and translucent, stirring from time to time.

  5. Finely chop the peeled garlic and ginger either by hand or blitz in the food processor. Add to the pan and cook for 2 – 3 minutes, stirring regularly, until the garlic and ginger smell has softened and mellowed.

  6. Toss in the spices, (roasted curry, turmeric, chilli) whole, bashed lemongrass and curry leaves. Fry for another minute, stirring. If it starts to stick, add a splash of water.

  7. Blitz the tomatoes in a food processor and add to the pan. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes.

  8. Add the chicken and stir well, cooking for 3 – 4 minutes.

  9. Pour in the chicken stock and cook, stirring from time to time, for 10 minutes. The sauce should thicken and reduce slightly.

  10. Add 250ml coconut cream, taken from the top of the can. (I use the rest of the can when cooking rice.) Continue to simmer gently for 6 – 8 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.

  11. Finally, if using, add the halved green chillis and cook the curry for an additional minute.

  12. Serve with your choice of options.

Recipe Notes

Equipment:

  • kitchen scales and measuring spoons
  • chopping board and knife
  • mixing bowl
  • grater/garlic crusher
  • cast iron/saucepan
  • food processor (if desired)

Where is this recipe from?

This recipe is from Hoppers, The Cookbook. There are 3 Hoppers restaurants in London, at King’s Cross, in Soho and another in Marylebone. These award winning restaurants celebrate food inspired by the cuisines form Sri Lanka and South India. they specialise in and is an award winning Sri Lankan restaurant in London