Ingredients

• 1 tbsp uncooked long grain or basmati rice
• 50g/2oz coriander seeds
• 25g/1oz cumin seeds
• 25g/1oz fennel seeds
• 7.5cm/3in piece cinnamon stick
• 1½ tsp fenugreek seeds
• ½ tsp cloves
• ½ tsp cardamom seeds (from about 10 green cardamom pods)
• ½ tsp black mustard seeds
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 3 dried red Kashmiri chillies
• 2 tbsp coconut or vegetable oil
• 15cm/6in cinnamon stick
• broken into smaller pieces
• 10 cardamom pods
• bruised
• 10 cloves
• 350g/12¼oz onions or shallots
• peeled
• cut in half
• thinly sliced
• 40g/1½oz garlic
• peeled
• crushed to a paste with the edge of a knife
• 25g/1oz fresh root ginger
• peeled
• finely grated
• 2 tbsp roasted Sri Lankan curry powder (see above)
• 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 200g/7oz canned chopped tomatoes
• 20 fresh curry leaves
• 4 x 4cm/1½in pieces pandan leaf (available from some Asian grocers)
• 1 fat lemongrass stalk
• tough outer leaves removed
• cut in half
• lightly bruised with the edge of a knife
• 3 green cayenne chillies
• split open lengthways
• 1 tsp salt
• or to taste
• 400ml/14fl oz canned coconut milk
• 750g-800g/1lb 10½oz-1lb 12¼oz cold cooked turkey
• cut into small pieces
• 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• steamed rice
• to serve

Directions

• For the roasted Sri Lankan curry powder
• heat a heavy-based frying pan over a medium heat. Add the uncooked rice and cook for 2-3 minutes
• shaking the pan regularly
• until the rice is toasted and pale golden-brown. Transfer the toasted rice to a large mortar or spice grinder and set aside to cool.
• Repeat the dry-frying process with the spices
• then tip into a bowl and set aside to cool.
• Repeat the dry-frying process with the dried chillies
• then tip into a bowl and set aside to cool.
• When the toasted rice
• spices and chillies have cooled
• grind them to a fine powder (do this in batches if necessary). Store the roasted Sri Lankan curry powder in an airtight jar for up to three months.
• For the Sri Lankan turkey curry
• heat the oil in a large
• heavy-based frying pan. Add the cinnamon stick
• cardamom pods and cloves and fry for 15-20 seconds
• or until fragrant.
• Add the onions or shallots and fry for 4-5 minutes
• or until softened and pale golden-brown. Add the garlic and ginger
• stir well to combine
• and fry for a further 2-3 minutes.
• Stir in two tablespoons of the roasted curry powder
• the chilli powder and ground turmeric and fry for a further minute.
• Add the chopped tomatoes
• curry leaves
• pieces of pandan leaf
• lemongrass stalk
• cayenne chillies and salt. Cover the pan with a lid and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over a low to medium heat. Continue to simmer for 20-25 minutes
• or until the curry sauce has thickened.
• Add the coconut milk and cooked turkey
• then re-cover the pan with the lid
• return the mixture to a simmer and continue to simmer for a further 4-5 minutes
• or until the turkey has heated through. Stir in the lime juice and remove the pan from the heat. Serve with steamed rice.