Rice and Curry from Sri Lanka – pineapple curry, dhal and bean curry

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• ½ pineapple
• 3 onions
• 25 ml rapeseed oil, another neutral oil or ghee
• 1 chili pepper(s) or/and 0.5 tsp chili powder, to taste
• 8 curry leaves (often available fresh or frozen, so add more if necessary, at Indian grocers)
• ½ stalk(s) lemongrass or a few leaves lemon verbena
• ¼ tsp pepper
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp mustard seeds, ground or some mustard powder (usually stronger)
• 1 pinch of sugar
• 100 ml coconut cream, unsweetened
• 100 g lentils, red or yellow
• Water
• salt and pepper
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• 3 onions, red
• 1 garlic clove(s)
• 2 chili peppers, mild
• 10 curry leaves
• 1 tomato(s)
• 1 tbsp rapeseed oil or other neutral oil
• 50 ml coconut milk
• 1 tsp mustard seeds, black
• 1 tsp fenugreek seeds
• ½ tsp black cumin
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 250 g green beans
• 2 onions, red
• 2 garlic cloves
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp curry powder
• n. B. Chili powder, approx. 0.25 – 0.5 tsp
• 8 curry leaves
• Salt
• 1 tomato(s)
• 150 ml water
• 100 ml coconut milk

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 20 minutes; Total time approx. 50 minutes

enough for 2 large or 4 smaller eaters

For the pineapple curry, wash the pineapple, halve it, and scoop out the skin. Remove the core and cut the flesh into bite-sized cubes. Peel and finely chop the onion. Heat the oil in a pan, fry the onion and all the other ingredients except the pineapple and coconut milk. Add the pineapple and sauté for about 8 minutes. Add the coconut milk and simmer for about 6 minutes. For the dhal, wash the lentils and cook according to the package instructions with water, salt, turmeric, and pepper until soft but still slightly firm to the bite. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onion, garlic, and remaining spices. Add the cooked lentils, coconut milk, and tomato, mix, and simmer over low heat for a few minutes. Season to taste. For the green bean curry, wash the beans, trim off the ends, and slice diagonally into pieces. Peel and chop the onion and garlic, and fry them with curry leaves in a pan with a little oil. Add the beans, mix, and everything else except the coconut milk and tomato. Simmer for about 5 minutes until al dente. Add the coconut milk and tomato, stir, and season again to taste. Serve with rice. Enough for 2 adults or 4 smaller eaters. The three curries harmonize wonderfully together. Coconut sambal, mango chutney, and papadums also go well with it. I brought this from Priya’s cooking class in Ella, Sri Lanka.