Sri Lankan Chicken Curry

"Sri Lanka" is an island country off the southeastern coast of India. It was long known as "Ceylon," the English rendering of Portuguese "Ceilão," the name used by the Portuguese from the 1500s, when Portugal first became involved with the island (the Portuguese "partially" ruled the island for nearly 200 years). Naturally there are many Indian influences on Sri Lankan food, but the Dutch also had an impact on Sri Lankan cooking, and, like the Portuguese, the Dutch were involved in Sri Lanka, and had some "partial" governance there for about 150 years (mid 1600s until nearly 1800). The British became involved in Ceylon from the 1790s, a relationship which also included governance, which ended in 1948. Ceylon tea is world famous, but believe it or not, it was the British who started the tea industry on the island. Today there are hundreds of thousands of Sri Lankans employed in some way in the tea industry. Ceylon gained independence in 1948, but it wasn't until 1972 that the nation's name was changed to "Sri Lanka," a term from Sanskrit and Sinhalese, both languages from Indo Aryan, a subdivision of the Indo Iranian branch of the Indo European language family. English is also an Indo European language, but from the Germanic branch.    
 
I know this recipe has an intimidating list of ingredients, but most are spices common in the cooking of the Indian subcontinent.* It's likely that curry leaves will be hard to find, unless you live in an area with people from southern Asia (like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Thailand or Indonesia, all areas where curry leaves are commonly used). You can use the lime zest (peel) of one lime and a few basil leaves as a substitute, but it will not be exactly the same. If you have access to curry leaves, please give them a try.  

Ingredients:

2 1/2 to 3 pounds chicken pieces 
3 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter)** or vegetable oil
8 to 10 curry leaves (or zest of 1 lime and 4 basil leaves torn in half)
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or Indian chili powder)
3 chilies, whole, split open
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground fenugreek
2/3 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1/2 ground fennel seed
15 grape tomatoes, halved
1  2 to 3 inch cinnamon stick
2 tablespoons lemon zest
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2/3 cup coconut milk

In a large skillet (with a lid) or a sauce pan (with lid), heat the oil or ghee over medium heat. Add the curry leaves and cook for about two minutes,*** then add the onion, ginger and chilies. Cook until the onion begins to brown. Stir in the cayenne pepper, turmeric, garlic, ground cumin, coriander, paprika, fenugreek, salt, ground fennel, vinegar, cinnamon stick, grape tomatoes, lemon zest and lemon juice. Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes, then add the chicken pieces and turn to coat them with the mixture. Cover and cook until the chicken is tender (between 45 to 60 minutes; if using basil leaves, add them at about the 35 minute mark of cooking). Remove lid and put heat on very low. Gradually add and mix in the coconut milk, being careful not to let the mixture boil. Serve with rice. 

* I did a two part series on spices of the Indian subcontinent, so if you're interested, these are the links:

http://pontificating-randy.blogspot.com/2017/12/great-spices-and-herbs-of-india.html

http//pontificating-randy.blogspot.com/2017/12/great-spices-and-herbs-of-india_10.html

**  "Clarified butter" (usually called "ghee" on the Indian Subcontinent) is butter with the milk solids removed; thus, the remaining butterfat can be heated to a higher temperature than regular butter without burning.

*** If using lime zest, add it with the onion, chilies and ginger. You can then add the basil leaves near the end of cooking (see instructions).

Served with rice and naan bread ... (Click on photo to enlarge)

WORD HISTORY: 
Poultry-This word, distantly related to "foal," an original English word from Germanic, goes back to Indo European "pawlh," which meant, "young or small animal." This gave Latin "pullus," which meant, "chick, young bird." This passed into Latin-based Old French as "poulet" (young bird, chicken) and this expanded to "pouleterie" (Norman dialect pouletrie?), meaning, "domestic birds raised for their eggs and meat." This was borrowed into English in the second half of the 1300s, and the meaning transferred over to the meat of the birds, as well.   

Great Spices and Herbs of the Indian Subcontinent, Part 2

This is the second part about spices and herbs used in the dishes of the Indian subcontinent. I should note, while I've specifically named India, Pakistan and Bangladesh in the first part, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives and Sri Lanka are also parts of the Indian subcontinent, and while dishes in those countries may have a few other ingredients, many of these general herbs and spices are commonly used in food preparation in these countries too. Readers from those countries, give me some time, because my plans are to do specific dishes from your homelands too.   

Fennel seed-also called "saunf/sonf"-an anise/licorice (British: "liquorice") flavored seed, sort of a gray color (British: grey colour). Besides their being used in recipes, they are sometimes chewed by people on the Indian subcontinent after a meal to aid in digestion, as they are said to be good for the digestive system. Some, but certainly not all, use them in making "chai" (spiced tea). See "Word History" below

Fenugreek-This is a plant, also called "methi," with both the leaves and the seeds used in food preparation on the Indian subcontinent. I have never bought the leaves, nor the whole seeds, but the ground seeds, sometimes called, "fenugreek powder," are easily obtainable in spice shops and in Indian/Pakistani grocery stores. 

Garam Masala-This is a ground spice mixture of many different variations often including, but not limited to, cloves, cinnamon, coriander, black pepper, cardamom, nutmeg. 

Ghee-also known as "clarified butter," is butter with the milk solids removed; thus, the remaining butterfat can be heated to a higher temperature than regular butter. The term "clarified butter" was certainly popularized in the U.S. (and perhaps elsewhere) by English cook Graham Kerr.*

Ginger-also known as "adrak," and also sometimes referred to as, "ginger root." Ginger is a stem-like group of roots and nodes that have a fresh, sharp taste. It is VERY common in many Asian cuisines, and especially so on the Indian subcontinent. It has a light brown skin that must be peeled off, and ginger is often grated or chopped before being added to recipes.

Mango powder-also known as "Amchur," is a golden or light brown colored powder of ground, dried unripened mango. It is sour in taste.

Mint-also known as "podina," is a fragrant herb, with a sort of warm taste, used in cooking, but which can also be used fresh in salads, and it forms the basis of menthol for breath fresheners and toothpaste. It is a common herb used in some chutney or in certain lassi yogurt drinks (smoothies) on the Indian subcontinent.  

Mustard seeds-also called "sarson," are typically the yellow variety in the U.S., and they are commonly used in pickles (cucumbers or other vegetables) and of course, they are ground and used in a popular condiment... "mustard." On the Indian subcontinent, black mustard seeds are more commonly used, and mustard seeds are usually put into hot oil until they "pop," before other ingredients are added or they are removed and added to a recipe. You may well find black mustard seeds in some supermarkets, and more likely in spice shops, and definitely in Indian/Pakistani shops.

Nigella seeds-also known as "kalonji," "black caraway seed," or "black cumin." They are often dry  roasted briefly in a skillet and they are commonly used in recipes, including in, or on top of, some regional naan bread, a common flatbread of the Indian subcontinent. Some spice shops should have these seeds, but they will definitely be available in Indian/Pakistani shops.

Nutmeg-also known as "jaiphal," is a common spice used in cooking, especially in sweetened baked goods. It is available as a rounded whole seed, which you will then have to grate as needed, or it is available in ground form in jars or cans. The ground form can be found in any store that sells even a limited variety of spices, while the whole nutmeg is available in spice shops and many supermarkets.    
Panch Phoron-sometimes as, "Panch Phora," is a mixture of five spice seeds especially common in the Bengal region of India and Bangladesh. I have never bought this, but I'm pretty sure I've seen it in an Indian grocery. 

Parsley-This is a common green herb used in recipes and as a garnish. It should hardly need an introduction to you, and it is sold fresh in just about any produce store or supermarket.  

Pickles-I've included pickles, because on the Indian subcontinent they are common, but these are NOT the pickles you find on your hamburger at the corner hamburger place, but rather a variety of fruits and vegetables that are combined with oil and spices, either individually, or in some combination. They have "heat," and some even have a lot of "heat." I like "mixed pickles." (See photo below)

Pulses-While these are not spices or herbs, they are a common ingredient in food for the people of the Indian subcontinent. They are legumes of peas, beans or lentils, which when split, are known as "dal," Mung beans are also known as "moong beans" or "green gram," are a type of bean/pea, but with the green skin removed, exposing their inside light yellow color. When split, this makes them another type of "dal." Such legumes are common on the Indian subcontinent for everyone, but especially for the many vegetarians there, primarily in India. Lentils come in several varieties, with the dark-colored type the most common in the U.S. On the Indian subcontinent, "red" lentils are commonly used, but they are really an orange color. 

Rose Water-is a flavoring agent made by soaking rose petals in water. It can be found in spice shops or Middle Eastern grocers or Indian/Pakistani grocers. It is often used in sweet foods or drinks.

Saffron-also known as "kesar/kesari," saffron is from the flower of the crocus plant. It is likely the most expensive of all spices. On the Indian subcontinent the threads of saffron, which are typically red or orange in color, are briefly roasted in a skillet, then soaked in warm water or warm milk, giving the liquid a orange to yellow color. The liquid is then put into whatever recipes is being prepared. You will likely find saffron in supermarkets, but definitely in spice shops and Indian/Pakistani grocers.    

Tamarind-is a fruit pulp with a sour taste used in some curries, chutneys and sauces, including steak sauces or other food seasoning sauces. Tamarind can definitely be found in Indian/Pakistani shops, as well as other Asian grocers, but some supermarkets likely have it too. 

Turmeric-also known as "haldi," is an orange/golden colored ground spice that is said to be good for digestion and to fight inflammation. It adds an orange or yellow color to dishes. 

* Graham Kerr was born and raised in England, but he later lived for several years in New Zealand and Australia. He did a television show recorded in Canada for about three years from the late 1960s into the early 1970s. The show was broadcast in the United States, and it was called, "The Galloping Gourmet," and Kerr often mentioned and cooked with, "clarified butter," between gulps of wine... ah, I mean, sips of wine. I watched the show faithfully, and the guy was a hoot, and I swear he was about half tanked by the end of some shows.


You can click on any picture to enlarge it. These are "mixed pickles," my favorite, which I bought at an Indian grocer, but I've also bought similar at a spice shop. This brand has mango (unripened), limes, carrot and green chilies, beside the oil and various spices, including red chili powder (like ground cayenne pepper).

This is rose water, which I bought at a spice shop. This happens to be from Lebanon.

Clockwise from the top: ginger, cumin seeds, black mustard seeds, yellow mustard seeds and nigella seeds (also called, black cumin or black caraway seed)

Clockwise from top left: fresh mint, fennel seeds, mango powder (Amchur), turmeric and saffron.

Clockwise from top left: cilantro (also known as "fresh coriander"  or "green coriander"), ground coriander (from the seeds, listed in "Part 1"), ghee (also known as "clarified butter"), ground fenugreek, tamarind paste/concentrate.

Top, nutmeg; bottom left, red lentils; right, split mung beans

WORD HISTORY:
Fennel-This word for a plant used as a vegetable, an herb and a spice (the seeds), and distantly related to "fetus," goes back to Indo European "dhei," with the notion of, "to nurse, to suckle;" thus also, "to bring up (a child), to produce;" thus further, the result of those actions; that is, "a yield, product, produce." This gave Latin "faenum," which meant, "hay," the diminutive form of which was "faeniculum," ^ meaning, "fennel," from the little "tufts" on the plant that reminded people of "hay."  The Latin spelling later changed to "feniculum." English borrowed the word in the 1200s, as "finel/finol," perhaps initially directly from Latin, but most definitely reinforced by Old French "fenoil," which Latin-based Old French used as its form of the Latin word.

^ A diminutive is a form of a word that conveys a meaning of "smallness" or "dearness." 

Great Spices and Herbs of the Indian Subcontinent, Part 1

The people of the Indian subcontinent are not shy about the use of spices in their recipes. More and more, people in other parts of the world are discovering the cooking techniques and flavors of far off lands on a regular basis, instead of just on an occasional visit to a restaurant. Such is true with the foods of the Indian subcontinent, and with the spices and herbs that go into providing those foods with their lively, and often fiery, flavors.   

I once made my own naan bread, but I also saw it made in a real Indian tandoor oven in an Indian restaurant here in Cleveland about 1979 or 1980. The place had Indian food displayed right in the window, but it's been so long ago, I just forget everything. That got me interested in Indian food and history, which then was reinforced by the movie "Gandhi" in the early 1980s.

This is most certainly not an all inclusive list of herbs and spices used on the Indian subcontinent, but it will more than adequately cover a wide swath of recipes from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, as well as provide good coverage of many recipes of some other countries of southern Asia. I've tried to add other names for many of the spices and herbs, but the Indian subcontinent is home to MANY languages and dialects, literally hundreds of languages and dialects,* and what is called a particular name in one area, may be called by a totally different name in another region, and by still another name a little further from that, so I'm not claiming that the forms I've listed are the definitive terms. 

Asafoetida-also called "Hing"-a light yellow powder (you might also find it in chunks in some specialty stores or shops). It is from a plant related to fennel. It is known for its strong smell, and it is usually sold in jars with a small sealed opening that has to be punctured to sprinkle the contents, then another top on the jar seals off the opening to keep the smell from escaping. Used in a number of vegetarian recipes by first putting just a small amount in hot oil for just a couple of seconds, which totally mellows the smelly spice.

Black Peppercorns-also called "Kali Mirch," peppercorns are commonly used in many countries, so they are readily available. The popularity of cooking shows on American television in the last couple of decades has made the use of pepper mills to grind peppercorns much more common than they had been, although I'm sure the already ground black pepper in cans still sells very well. Grinding your own pepper makes the pepper fresh and more flavorful and you can make the grind as you want it, from coarse to fine. Peppercorns are also used whole, at times, in certain recipes in various cultures. 

Black Salt-also called "Kala Namak," is a type of salt with a sulfur smell. I have black salt from Hawaii, and it is in small granules, which are truly black in color. I also have a package of black salt from India, and it is mainly powdered, but with some small pieces of the salt left in. It is sort of a light purple or pink color.

Cardamom- also called "Elaichi," can be bought in brown or light green to grayish colored pods that contain seeds that are used to flavor a variety of dishes, among which are sweet dishes and baked goods, including such outside of the Indian subcontinent. Some recipes call for whole cardamom pods to be used and the pods are cracked or smashed first, as this allows the flavor of the seeds inside the pods to season the cooking food (the pods themselves are not eaten). Cardamom is also sold in ground form, which has a gray color. The ground form is readily available in supermarkets and spice shops, while the whole pods are available in Indian/Pakistani shops, and likely some spice shops. The seeds are also sold, but I have never bought cardamom that way.

Chaat Masala is a ground spice mixture, and thus its ingredients vary. Readily available in Indian/Pakistani shops, and in some spice shops.

Chilies-both fresh and dried. You'll see a number of recipes call for "green chilies," and green jalapeño or serrano chilies are fine. Other recipes will call for red chilies, and fresh cayenne chilies are great in this role. Often too, recipes call for dried red chilies, and you want to get dried chilies that give heat and flavor. A number of months ago I bought a bag of dried red chilies, but they turned out to be useless, as the chilies had neither heat nor much flavor. The best thing is that once you find a good dried chili product, stick with it, but unless you fix food with chilies on virtually a daily basis, or unless you regularly fix food for a 10,000 person military base nearby, you're not going to be buying dried chilies every other week. If you go to an Indian/Pakistani grocery store, I suggest you buy the dried chilies there, and give Kashmiri dried chilies a try from there too. They are a deep red color, with moderate heat. Some recipes may say to soak the dried chilies in water, while others may say to put the chilies into hot oil for a minute or so, before adding other ingredients and proceeding with the recipe.

Chili powder (of the Indian subcontinent)-This is not the chili powder used to make Texas or Southwestern chili, but rather it is ground red chilies, like what we call "Cayenne pepper," or "ground red pepper." It is hot, and it's supposed to be. Cayenne pepper is, of course, readily available in just about any store, and you may well already have some on hand in your kitchen cabinet. 

Cilantro-also known as "coriander" or "green coriander," or "Hara dhaniya," is an herb readily available in supermarkets or produce stores. Also common in Mexican and other Latino cooking in the U.S., where the name "cilantro" is most often used. 

Cinnamon-also called "Darchini," is typically used in curled cinnamon stick form on the Indian subcontinent, although the ground form is much more common in the U.S. Further, cinnamon comes from a few variety of trees, and there are differences in how strong the taste is. What is termed "true cinnamon," or "Ceylon cinnamon" is touted as the best variety health wise, but it is also much more expensive. Typically the cheaper cinnamon, called "Cassia" is what you get in supermarkets or grocery stores, and it is no less "true cinnamon" than the Ceylon type, except by name. Readily available in any store that sells spices, but the Ceylon cinnamon will more likely be found in good spice or health food stores, or in Indian/Pakistani grocery shops. 

Cloves, also known as "Laung," are another spice often used on the Indian subcontinent in whole form, although the ground form is readily available. Cloves are actually the powerfully flavorful and aromatic bud of a tropical tree flower. The taste of cloves can overwhelm a dish if you aren't careful, so use sparingly in either the whole form or the ground form. Readily available in just about any store that sells spices.

Coconut milk-This is the product of coconut flesh and water, not the coconut water from the coconut itself. It is used in sweet dishes. It is easily found in cans in many stores, including Latino shops and Indian/Pakistani shops. 

Coriander-also known as "Dhaniya," is often used in the seed form on the Indian subcontinent, where it is first roasted briefly and then ground for use, but it is also commonly sold already ground, which can be roasted right before use. Many supermarkets should have at least the ground form, and spice stores and Indian/Pakistani shops will almost certainly have the seed form also.

Cumin, also known as "Zeera" or "Jeera," is a highly common spice in recipes on the Indian subcontinent, where the whole seeds are roasted and then ground, although the already ground form is also used, and it too can be roasted briefly before use. The seeds look very much like its relative, caraway seed. It is also common in some Latino cooking, especially Mexican. It is readily available in ground form in just about any store that sells spices, but the seeds are easily found in Indian/Pakistani grocers and well stocked spice shops.

Curry leaves-also known as "curry patha," are often used fresh on the Indian subcontinent, where the tree commonly grows. They may be fried briefly in oil and then ground, or chopped and added to recipes. I use leaves that are already ground, which are available in spice stores and Indian/Pakistani grocers. The fresh leaves do not keep well, and while I've never bought the frozen leaves, I've read mixed reviews about them. Finding either fresh or frozen could prove to be a challenge in many countries.

Curry powders-These are spice mixtures with a variety of ingredients (there is no ONE recipe for curry powder), often mixed together for commercial sale, as people on the Indian subcontinent generally add each of the spices to dishes according to their own recipes. It is "my understanding," that curry powder was developed for sale in Britain when much of the Indian Subcontinent was a British colony, as this made it easier to combine spices into mixtures for sale, than to try to transport and sell the individual spices in Britain 200 to 300 years ago. This mixing of spices into "curry powder" has lasted right up to the present, and you can easily find curry powder in supermarkets, spice shops and Indian/Pakistani grocers, often with various brand names, varied ingredients and varied "heat" levels. 

* The main languages of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh are Hindi, Urdu and Bengali, respectively. They are all from Indo European and are, thus, related to English, although further down the family tree. Some other languages, primarily in India, but also to some extent from the island of Sri Lanka, are from the Dravidian family of languages. English is often used in governmental matters and in higher education; however, English is not universally spoken on the Indian subcontinent. 

From top left, clockwise: Cinnamon (Cassia), cloves, black peppercorns (click to enlarge)

From top left, clockwise: fresh green and red chilies, dried red chilies, Kashmiri dried chilies

Jar of asafoetida.

WORD HISTORY:
Fetid-The ultimate origin of this word, related to the second part of "asafoetida/asafetida," is uncertain. It goes back to Latin "fetere," which meant "to stink, to smell badly." This produced the adjective "fetidus," meaning, "stinking, foul smelling." This was borrowed by English circa 1400. 

Mango Chutney

For those unfamiliar with chutney, it is a type of Indian relish, or preserves. I'm using "Indian" in the broad sense, to include the people of former parts of India; namely, Pakistan and Bangladesh, although chutney is also made in the island nation of Sri Lanka (formerly known as Ceylon). This entire area was once under British colonial rule. There are many types of chutney, made from anything like mint or coriander, to apples, to apricots to tomatoes, but mango chutney is seemingly the best known type in "western nations," especially Britain, Canada and the United States. When I've had mango chutney in Indian restaurants, it has always been less sweet than store bought brands. An Indian restaurant owner once told me the British liked the chutney to be sweeter, and that British companies naturally made it that way to cater to the taste of their own market. These British brands then spread to North America, although, just a guess, I would bet at least 3 cents, that a fairly large percentage of Americans have never tasted chutney, and that many people have no idea even what it is. Besides the sweetened and spiced mango, there is often also a little "heat" from the addition of cayenne pepper or chopped hot chili peppers. Chutney is commonly served as a condiment for meat, including ham and sausage, or as a topping for sandwiches.

Ingredients:

2 large, somewhat less than ripe mangoes, peeled and chopped
3 tablespoons chopped red bell pepper
1 cup brown sugar (I use dark brown)
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup golden raisins
2 inch piece ginger, grated
1 jalapeño or serrano chili pepper, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon mace or nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon turmeric 
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
2 teaspoons curry powder

Bring all ingredients to a boil, stir well and lower the heat and gently simmer until the mango is just tender, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. The chutney should be pretty thick and it will thicken further as it cools.

WORD HISTORY:
Chutney-The ultimate origin of this word is unknown. It goes back to Hindi "chatna," which had the meaning, "eat flavorful food." This then produced Hindi/Urdu, "catni/chatni," which was the name for "spiced or sweetened vegetables or fruits used to accompany other foods." It was borrowed into English in the early 1800s, although it likely was in use by British military and colonial authorities in India before that time. NOTE: Hindi and Urdu are Indo European languages from the Indo-Iranian branch of Indo European.