Sri Lankan-Inspired Green Apple Curry Recipe

Sri Lankan cuisine is known for its diverse and flavorful food characterized by aromatic spices, herbs, and a wide variety of ingredients. It's influenced by South Indian, Southeast Asia, and European culinary traditions where spicy curries are staple meals. Sri Lankan apple curry is a popular dish using green or sour apples which are common in the region. Rather than using a pre-made curry spice, this recipe includes a home-made blend and a special technique of toasting and grinding whole seeds to provide a robust burst of spiciness.

Wellness coach and recipe developer Miriam Hahn brings us this recipe and says, "I am a huge curry fan and have made hundreds of variations. The use of apples in this recipe gives it a tart yet sweet flavor and paired with creamy coconut milk gives you a creamy and silky curry." You can serve this green apple curry with steamed rice, roti, egg hoppers, or just enjoy it as-is.

To make this recipe, we'll of course need some green apples. While you're in the produce aisle pick up some fresh garlic, onion, and a Serrano chili.

Then you'll need a fair number of spices for the curry blend: coriander seeds, cumin seeds, black peppercorns, cardamom pods, cloves, mustard seeds, fennel seeds, turmeric, and salt. We'll also be using dried red chile peppers in the homemade curry along with dry basmati rice which will act as a thickener.

Lastly, you'll need oil, brown sugar, and coconut milk. "We're looking for the unsweetened, full fat type of coconut milk that is canned," Hahn explains.

Pull out a small frying pan and heat it to medium. Then add the rice and stir for 3 minutes. "Toasting the rice in this manner will give it a rich and nutty flavor," Hahn mentions. Then add the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, peppercorns, cardamom seeds, cloves, mustard seeds, fennel seeds, and dried chiles. Toast in the pan for about 3 minutes. "The spices will be very fragrant as they toast. Keep a close eye so that they don't burn," Hahn says.

Remove the pan from the heat and cool for 10 minutes. Then add the spices to a spice grinder and grind them into a powder.

Now add the oil to a medium pot and set the heat to medium. Add the onion and Serrano pepper and cook for 5 minutes stirring frequently. Then add in the ground spice mixture and stir well to coat the onions and peppers. "The spices really come alive in this step when they are combined with the onions," Hahn remarks.

To get the apples ready for the dish, go ahead and chop them into large chunks. You can leave the skin on but discard the cores. "As an alternative to chopping you can also slice the apples if you prefer," Hahn says.

Now add the apples to the pot along with the minced garlic, sugar, and salt. Cook on medium heat for 10 minutes. "The apples will release some liquid and start to soften," Hahn remarks. Then add ⅓ cup water and the coconut milk. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 20 minutes.

The apple curry is ready to serve or can be kept on the stove on a low simmer until serving time. It's best served warm and can be topped with chopped chives or cilantro if desired. The curry is a great make ahead item and will last in your fridge for up to 5 days if kept in a sealed container.