Pipinna Vyanjana – Cucumber Curry – Peter Kuruvita

Toasted coconut gives this quick, fragrant curry a wonderful ‘cooked on the open fire’ taste, and also acts as a thickening agent.

REGION  Sri Lanka  |   SERVES  6   |   PREPARATION  15 minutes  |  COOKING  20 minutes  |   DIFFICULTY  Easy

• 3 large telegraph (long) cucumbers, or 2 white cucumbers
• 2 tablespoons grated fresh coconut
• 3 green cardamom pods
• 1 teaspoon chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ onion, finely chopped
• 1 fresh curry leaf sprig, leaves picked
• ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
• 2 cm (¾ inch) piece of cinnamon stick
• ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
• 2 small Indian green chillies, finely chopped
• 150 ml (5 fl oz) coconut milk

Peel the cucumbers and cut them in half lengthways. Remove the seeds, then cut on the diagonal into slices about 2 cm (¾ inch) thick. Set aside.

Place the coconut, cardamom pods, chilli powder, coriander and cumin in a small heavy-based frying pan and shake over low heat for 8–10 minutes, or until the coconut is dark golden.

Transfer the mixture to a saucepan, along with the cucumber. Stir in the remaining ingredients and simmer over medium heat for 7 minutes, or until the cucumber is tender and the sauce has thickened.

Serve immediately.

Recipes from Peter Kuruvita’s Lands of the Curry Leaf, published by Murdoch Books, RRP $49.99