Sri Lankan Coconut Milk Gravy (කිරි හොදි) — Kiri Hodi

• 1 canunsweetened full-fat coconut milk (400 ml; shake thoroughly before opening and divide into two 200 ml portions)
• 300 mlwater
• 1small onion (Approximately 80 g peeled; thinly sliced)
• 2green chiles (Approximately 10 g total; slit lengthwise but leave the stems attached)
• 12fresh curry leaves
• 0.25rampe (pandan leaf) (Use a 10 cm section from a roughly 40 cm leaf; tie loosely into a knot)
• 0.5 stickCeylon cinnamon (Approximately 4 cm long)
• 0.25 tspfenugreek seeds
• 0.25 tspground turmeric
• 3 gfine sea salt
• 15 mlfresh lime juice

Instructions

1. 1

   Whisk 200 ml of the coconut milk with the 300 ml water in a medium saucepan to make a thin coconut milk base. Reserve the remaining 200 ml coconut milk for finishing the gravy.

2. 2

   Add the sliced onion, slit green chiles, curry leaves, rampe, Ceylon cinnamon, fenugreek seeds, turmeric and salt to the saucepan. Stir thoroughly so the turmeric disperses through the liquid rather than remaining in clumps.

3. 3

   Heat over medium-low heat for approximately 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until the liquid begins to steam and small bubbles appear around the edge. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently, uncovered, for 9 minutes, until the onion softens and the aromatics perfume the broth.

4. 4

   Stir in the reserved 200 ml coconut milk and cook over low heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Keep the gravy steaming with only occasional small bubbles; do not let it boil vigorously or reduce into a thick sauce.

5. 5

   Remove the saucepan from the heat and let it stand for 2 minutes before stirring in the 15 ml lime juice. Remove the cinnamon and rampe, then serve the kiri hodi warm in a bowl for spooning over string hoppers.