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Ambarella curry
ඇඹරැල්ලා කරිය (ambarella curry): whole June plums cooked soft with roasted spices, sugar and coconut milk
Ambarella trees, heavy with green, plum-sized fruit, shade countless gardens around Galle, and when the crop comes in, cooks turn the sour, crunchy fruit into this sweet-sour curry for Sunday lunch and family gatherings. The fruits are scored and cooked whole with roasted curry powder, garlic, cinnamon and cloves, then sweetened with sugar and finished in coconut milk, until the flesh softens and drinks in the dark, glossy gravy. Its tangy, fruity flavour cuts through richer dishes, and it is served in small portions with rice alongside a dhal and a meat or fish curry. Each fruit hides a spiky, fibrous stone, so warn guests to nibble around it. Leaving the skins whole and unscored is where many go wrong, because the spices never get in; make several deep cuts in each fruit. Frozen ambarella is sold in Sri Lankan shops; firm green mango is the nearest stand-in. Chef's tip: let the curry rest for an hour before serving, as the fruit keeps soaking up flavour.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the fruit
- 8 ambarella (June plums)about 600 g, washed; thinly peeled if the skin is tough
- 1 ¼ cups water
- 1 /2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp salt
For the curry
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 5 cm piece cinnamon stick
- 3 cloves
- 3 pods green cardamomcrushed
- 1 sprig curry leavesleaves picked
- 5 cm piece pandan leaf (optional)
- 1 onionsmall, sliced
- 4 cloves garlicsliced
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- 3 tbsp sugar
- ¾ cup thick coconut milk
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: With a small knife, make 4–5 deep cuts down the sides of each 8 ambarella (June plums), right to the stone.
Step 2: Put the fruit in a saucepan with 1 ¼ cups water, 1 /2 tsp ground turmeric and 1 tsp salt, cover and simmer for 12–15 minutes until a knife slides into the flesh easily.
15 minStep 3: Heat 1 tbsp coconut oil in a separate pan over a medium heat and fry 5 cm piece cinnamon stick, 3 cloves, 3 pods green cardamom, 1 sprig curry leaves and 5 cm piece pandan leaf for 30 seconds.
1 minStep 5: Stir in 2 tsp roasted Sri Lankan curry powder and 1 tsp red chilli powder for 30 seconds until fragrant.
1 minStep 6: Add the fruit with its cooking liquid and 3 tbsp sugar and simmer uncovered for 8–10 minutes, turning the fruit, until the liquid reduces to a thick, dark gravy.
10 minStep 7: Stir in ¾ cup thick coconut milk and simmer gently for 4–5 minutes until glossy. Taste for the balance of sweet, sour and salt and serve warm.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 230 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 28 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does ambarella curry take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 35 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of ground turmeric?
- Leave it out (it mostly adds colour).
- What can I use instead of cinnamon stick?
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon per stick.
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