Kitchen Recipe Collection
Sri Lankan White Rice & Curry
The quintessential Sri Lankan meal — fluffy white rice served with a colorful and aromatic spread of curries, sambols, and papadum on a vibrant banana leaf.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 65 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- medium
- Cuisine
- sri lankan
Ingredients
Scaled for 4 servings
- white rice
- chicken or fish
- coconut milk
- onion
- garlic
- ginger
- curry powder
- turmeric
- green beans
- dhal
- coconut sambol
- papadum
Equipment
- Rice cooker or pot
- Multiple saucepans
- Banana leaf (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Cook White Rice
Rinse white rice until water runs clear. Cook using a rice cooker or on the stovetop using a 1.5:1 water-to-rice ratio.
- 2
Prepare Chicken Curry
Marinate chicken pieces in curry powder, turmeric, salt, and lime juice. Fry onion, garlic, and ginger in oil until golden. Add chicken and brown, then add coconut milk and simmer for 20 minutes.
- 3
Prepare Dhal
Cook red lentils with turmeric until soft. Add a coconut milk temper of mustard seeds, curry leaves, and onion.
- 4
Prepare Green Beans
Stir-fry sliced green beans with mustard seeds, curry leaves, dried chili, and grated coconut for a simple dry side.
- 5
Assemble & Serve
Lay a banana leaf, place rice in the center, and arrange all curries and the coconut sambol around it. Add a papadum on the side.
Cooking Tips
- The secret to a great rice and curry spread is balance — a creamy curry, a dry curry, a sambol, and a pickle.
- Make the curries first and let them rest — they develop more flavor as they sit.
- Lightly toast the papadum over an open flame for an authentic crispy texture.
Variations
- Fish Curry: Replace chicken with fresh tuna or mackerel in a spicy tomato-coconut base.
- Full Vegetarian: Replace all meat with jackfruit curry, beetroot curry, and brinjal moju.
Chef's Notes & Storage
- Sri Lankan rice and curry is traditionally eaten by hand, mixing all the curries and rice together on the banana leaf.
- Storage: Store each curry separately in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stove with a splash of water.
Nutrition Estimate
520 calories · 24g protein · 68g carbs · 18g fat · 6g fiber per serving
