Sri Lankan cuisine is known for its complex flavors and techniques, influenced by Asian and Indian cuisines due to its location on the ancient spice route. The dishes perfectly balance spicy, sweet, rich, and light. If you want to learn how to cook Sri Lankan food, it’s best to start with the fundamentals, much like the spice route.
Enjoy the spicy thrill of Devilled Chicken, a dish that is flavorful to the core. Tender chicken chunks covered in a hot sauce with a tangy flavor. Experience an explosion of robust, unique taste with every bite that will have you itching for another sizzling encounter. Here is how to prepare it.
Devilled Chicken Recipe
As the name implies, this traditional Sri Lankan stir-fry is fiery thanks to two types of chilies. If you’re not a fan of chicken, you can always swap it out for cubed pork, beef, or even shrimp.
Serves 6
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
1 lb boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large Spanish onion, chopped
2 green chilies, seeded and chopped
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
1 teaspoon dried chilies, coarsely ground
Lemon juice
1 teaspoon curry powder
Kosher salt
1 can crushed tomatoes
Freshly ground black pepper
Procedure
Heat oil in a deep skillet over medium and add chicken. Brown chicken on all sides and remove from pan. Add onions and chilies to the same pan (add additional oil if necessary) and cook until soft, about 7 minutes.
Then, add garlic and ginger and cook for an extra minute. Stir in turmeric, ground chilies, and curry powder. Cook spices for about 1 minute. Add in tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes.
Add the chicken back into the sauce and continue to simmer until the chicken is cooked through about 10 minutes. Adjust seasoning and add fresh lemon juice to taste. Serve with pol roti (recipe here).
