In 2009, Maeve O’Meara and her camera team from SBS Food Safari visited Charmaine at her home, where she cooked her famous Sri Lankan Chicken Curry.
https://www.sbs.com.au/food/recipes/food-safaris-chicken-curry
Serves: 6
Ingredients:
1.5k chicken or pieces
3 tablespoon fenugreek seeds
a sprig of fresh curry leaves
2 large onions, chopped
3 teaspoons chopped garlic
3 teaspoons grated ginger
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cummin
1 teaspoon ground funnel
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons vinegar or lemon juice
6 cardamom pods, bruised
1 cinnamon quill
2 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 stem of lemongrass, whole, bruised
250 ml thick coconut cream
Method:
Heat the oil and fry the fenugreek seeds and curry leaves until they start to “pop”. Add the onions, garlic, and ginger and fry on a medium heat until the onions are tender and golden. Add the other ground spices, salt and vinegar. Stir well.
Add the chicken (pieces) and stir over a medium heat until the chicken is well coated with spices. Add tomatoes, whole spices, and lemongrass. Cover and cook on slow heat for about 1 and ½ hours. Add the coconut cream and a little lemon juice if needed. Remove the whole spices and lemongrass. Serve with coconut rice and accompaniments.