Sri Lankan kaliya curry(cooked ash plantain-brinjal curry).
If you are wondering what kaliya curry means, it is a traditional Sri Lankan curry dish made with deep-fried ash plantains(green plantains), eggplant and potatoes.
The curry is then cooked in spiced coconut milk gravy made with both thin and thick milk until you have this amazing yet earthy vegetarian dish.
Authentic Sri Lankan dish.
An authentic Sri Lankan curry originating from the Muslim community.
If you are not familiar with the curry, you might find the combo of vegetables used unusual which is a mixture of Brinjals, Potatoes and Ash Plantain(green bananas).
It becomes odder when you have the option of adding cooked ox or chicken liver. unless you’ve tasted kaliya curry, the choice of ingredients used are peculiar but once you’ve tasted it, you’ll know why they work well together.
The Sri Lankan curry is so full of flavor, texture, taste that you can actually skip a meat dish.
I had a plate of rice with this kaliya curry, dhal and rice with a simple salad which tasted way better than what you will expect in a vegetarian meal.
Most often this Sri Lankan curry is served on festive occasions as a side dish with ghee/yellow rice.
The vegan, vegetarian Sri Lankan curry involves a bit of preparation prior to being cooked as each ingredient needs to be attended individually.
And kaliya curry is one of the few cold curry dishes that need not be heated to be enjoyed.
Beginner’s tips on making
kaliya curry.
- Slightly time-consuming, I would suggest making the kaliya curry early as its a cold curry.
- you have the option of not heating it at the time of serving the dish. I started making the kaliya somewhere around 10 am, giving me time to make the recipe in stages. first preparing the veggies, frying all the veggies, making the gravy and then assembling.
- The below recipe will give you kaliya curry to feed at least 6-8 adults. should you wish to make it for a small family of 3-5, reduce the brinjal to 300g, ash plantain 250g and potatoes 200g(keep in mind a 3:2:1 ratio of veggies if you are making for a large crowd).
- As always, deep frying the veggies to a perfect golden color depends on the oil temperature and maintaining the temperature.
- When you are combining the fried brinjals, ash plantain, potatoes with the gravy, do it in a manner that doesn’t smash the brinjals too much. While ash plantain and the potatoes when deep-fried become quite firm, the brinjals fried and then cooked in the gravy turns soft.
- Use a large wide, flat spoon to mix.
Utensils and appliances needed.
Wide plates or platter
Kitchen Towels
Frying Spoon
Deep Frying Pan
2 bowls
More authentic and traditional Sri Lankan recipes!
Sri Lankan wambotu moju(eggplant curry)
Sri Lankan coconut roti(pol roti).
Sri Lankan kalupol chicken curry.
Freezing- Avoid freezing, the curry can be refrigerated up to 3-5 days.
Storing-once cooled, store in an airtight container and refrigerate.
Heating– remove from the refrigerator and let the curry reach room temperature, warm the curry with a few tablespoons of oil as the dish tends to become quite dry.
Stop food waste by– make only as much as you need, any leftovers can be added to your egg omelet. though I haven’t tried why not make vegetarian sandwiches with it?
How to make kaliya curry.
Frying ingredients
oil as needed to fry
1/2 teaspoon of turmeric
500g medium-sized brinjals
300g medium-sized ash plantain
150g potatoes medium-sized.
200g chicken or ox Liver (Optional, this kaliya recipe is made without this ingredient).
Ingredients for Assembling the Curry
1 cup of thin milk(to make, mix 1/4 cup of coconut milk with 1 cup of water)
1 large onion sliced fine
3 pods Garlic minced
1 tablespoon of ginger minced
A sprig of curry Leaves
2-3 inch piece Pandan Leaf
1 tablespoon of curry powder
1 teaspoon of red chilli powder
Turmeric powder 1/2 teaspoon
2 cups of thick coconut milk
2 teaspoons of tamarind juice
1 tablespoon of sugar
Salt to taste
To make the spice powder
2 cardamoms
2 cloves
1/2 inch cinnamon piece
Method
Please read the beginner’s tips before you continue with the recipe as I have given the quantity for a smaller portion of this kaliya curry and the ratio to use if cooking for a larger crowd.
Prep work before
making kaliya curry.
Gather all ingredients and utensils you need to make the curry.
Have two medium-sized bowls filled with water and 1/4 teaspoon turmeric and salt mixed.
You are doing this because brinjals and ash plantain tend to discolor as soon as they are exposed to air, you can avoid this by immediately submerging them in turmeric, water and a bit of salt.
Have a platter ready with paper towels for the deep-fried vegetables.
How to cut brinjals
for the kaliya.
Wash each brinjal and cut off the stem. as you cut the brinjal check for spoilage. this is very important as brinjals are vegetables that look good on the outside but tend to be spoiled on the insides.
Cut them into thick 1’inch circles and then into half(whichever way you cut the brinjals, the idea is to have them quite thick and chunky when deep-fried).
Immediately, transfer it to the bowl of salted-turmeric water.
How to clean and cut
the Ash plantains.
Wash the green plantain and cut the top and bottom parts. peel the green, thick skin of the ash plantain exposing the white of the Ash Plantain.
Follow the same method as mentioned above for cutting the brinjals(they need to be chunky) and immediately submerged in the turmeric-salt water solution.
How to cut the potatoes
for the kaliya.
Wash and remove the skin of the potatoes and cut them into slightly larger cubes(maybe 1/2 inch on all sides).
As mentioned I have not added ox/chicken liver to this kaliya recipe. if you do want to add it simply boil 100-200g of the liver of your choice in water seasoned with salt and 1/2 teaspoon of cumin powder. cool and cut them to to required size.
How to fry the brinjals,
ash plantain and
potatoes.
After all of the above veggies are cut and set aside, please make sure to drain the water off well before you begin deep frying them as water meeting heated oil will splatter.
The brinjals, ash plantain and potatoes need to be fried separately. I noticed the ash plantain takes a longer time to reach the golden brown stage so make sure to fry them last.
Add enough oil to your Frying Pan, over low-medium heat let the oil reach the correct frying temperature, you can check this by adding a piece of brinjal after a few minutes of the oil heating.
The correct temperature for frying will be when the brinjal piece floats while gently frying, bubbles tend to appear around it with a quiet hissing sound.
Gently strain or squeeze to get rid of any excess water and place the raw brinjals into your wide mesh frying spoon and slide it into the heated oil. Fry the Brinjals in small batches until it turns golden brown(5-8 minutes)
Move the frying brinjals around to give it a gentle toss so that all sides are evenly brown. once golden brown in color, drain as much oil as you can into the frying oil and place it in a Colander or bowl lined with Kitchen Towels.
Fry potatoes the same way followed by Ash Plantains. while potatoes may take between 8-10 minutes, the ash plantain may take a longer time.
If you are multi-tasking in the kitchen, make sure you keep an eye on the frying vegetables at all times, you want them to evenly brown and not burnt.
Once fried transfer the vegetables onto a container to drain any excess oil.
I used a wide platter and thick kitchen paper towels to separate the fried vegetables.
How to make the kaliya gravy.
Make the small amount of spice powder needed by pounding or grinding cardamom(2), cloves(2), cinnamon(1/2 inch) into a rough coarse powder. set aside.
Add the thin coconut milk(1 cup) into your cooking pot. add the onions (1 finely sliced), garlic(5 pods, chopped), ginger (1/2 tsp), curry Leaves (a few), Pandan Leaf (1-inch piece), curry powder (1 tbs), chilli Powder (1 tsp), turmeric powder (1/2 tsp) and let it simmer until it boils over medium heat(10-12 minutes).
Reduce the flame to low and add the Fried Ingredients and give it a gentle mix.
Make sure all the ingredients are covered with the gravy in order to absorb the flavors. Check for salt and adjust accordingly.
Cover and slow simmer for 10 minutes or until thin gravy is absorbed by the fried vegetables. do not stir but shake the pan to distribute ingredients.
Remove lid and add the thick coconut milk(2 cups) while it simmers slowly.
Add the spice powder(ground cardamom, cinnamon, cloves 1/2 tsp), tamarind juice(2 tsp), and Sugar(1tbs).
Reduce heat to a low and slow simmer until the gravy thickens and changes color. check for salt and adjust accordingly.
Once the gravy thickens, with 5-7 stirs of your wide slotted spoon combine the ingredients to incorporate the gravy.
Please be gentle with the mixing because after all the fried ingredients absorb the gravy, it will tend to mash-up even further and your curry would end up getting pulpy. I would suggest using a wide flat slotted spoon to combine.
This is a very fragrant dish with a creamy texture that also has a bit of sweet and tang combined. 
Kaliya curry, a traditional Sri Lankan curry dish made with deep-fried ash plantains(green plantains), eggplant and potatoes. Please read the beginner’s tips before you continue with the recipe as I have given the quantity for a smaller portion of this kaliya curry and the ratio to use if cooking for a larger crowd. Gather all ingredients and utensils you need to make the curry. Have two medium-sized bowls filled with water and 1/4 teaspoon turmeric and salt mixed. You are doing this because brinjals and ash plantain tend to discolor as soon as they are exposed to air, you can avoid this by immediately submerging them in turmeric, water and a bit of salt. Have a platter ready with paper towels for the deep-fried vegetables. Wash each brinjal and cut off the stem. as you cut the brinjal check for spoilage. this is very important as brinjals are vegetables that look good on the outside but tend to be spoiled on the insides. Cut them into thick 1’inch circles and then into half(whichever way you cut the brinjals, the idea is to have them quite thick and chunky when deep-fried). Immediately, transfer it to the bowl of salted-turmeric water. .HOW TO CLEAN AND CUT Wash the green plantain and cut the top and bottom parts. peel the green, thick skin of the ash plantain exposing the white of the Ash Plantain. Follow the same method as mentioned above for cutting the brinjals(they need to be chunky) and immediately submerged in the turmeric-salt water solution. Wash and remove the skin of the potatoes and cut them into slightly larger cubes(maybe 1/2 inch on all sides). As mentioned I have not added ox/chicken liver to this kaliya recipe. if you do want to add it simply boil 100-200g of the liver of your choice in water seasoned with salt and 1/2 teaspoon of cumin powder. cool and cut them to the required size. After all of the above veggies are cut and set aside, please make sure to drain the water off well before you begin deep frying them as water meeting heated oil will splatter. The brinjals, ash plantain and potatoes need to be fried separately. I noticed the ash plantain takes a longer time to reach the golden brown stage so make sure to fry them last. Add enough oil to your Frying Pan, over low-medium heat let the oil reach the correct frying temperature, you can check this by adding a piece of brinjal after a few minutes of the oil heating. The correct temperature for frying will be when the brinjal piece floats while gently frying, bubbles tend to appear around it with a quiet hissing sound. Gently strain or squeeze to get rid of any excess water and place the raw brinjals into your wide mesh frying spoon and slide it into the heated oil. Fry the Brinjals in small batches until it turns golden brown(5-8 minutes) Move the frying brinjals around to give it a gentle toss so that all sides are evenly brown. once golden brown in color, drain as much oil as you can into the frying oil and place it in a Colander or bowl lined with Kitchen Towels. Fry potatoes the same way followed by Ash Plantains. while potatoes may take between 8-10 minutes, the ash plantain may take a longer time. If you are multi-tasking in the kitchen, make sure you keep an eye on the frying vegetables at all times, you want them to evenly brown and not burnt. Once fried transfer the vegetables onto a container to drain any excess oil. I used a wide platter and thick kitchen paper towels to separate the fried vegetables. Make the small amount of spice powder needed by pounding or grinding cardamom(2), cloves(2), cinnamon(1/2 inch) into a rough coarse powder. set aside. Add the thin coconut milk(1 cup) into your cooking pot. add the onions (1 finely sliced), garlic(5 pods, chopped), ginger (1/2 tsp), curry Leaves (a few), Pandan Leaf (1-inch piece), curry powder (1 tbs), chilli Powder (1 tsp), turmeric powder (1/2 tsp) and let it simmer until it boils over medium heat(10-12 minutes). Reduce the flame to low and add the Fried Ingredients and give it a gentle mix. Make sure all the ingredients are covered in the gravy in order to absorb the flavors. Check for salt and adjust accordingly. Cover and slow simmer for 10 minutes or until thin gravy is absorbed by the fried vegetables. do not stir but shake the pan to distribute ingredients. Remove lid and add the thick coconut milk(2 cups) while it simmers slowly. Add the spice powder(ground cardamom, cinnamon, cloves 1/2 tsp), tamarind juice(2 tsp), and Sugar(1tbs). Reduce heat to a low and slow simmer until the gravy thickens and changes color. check for salt and adjust accordingly. Once the gravy thickens, with 5-7 stir of your wide slotted spoon combine the ingredients to incorporate the gravy. Please be gentle with the mixing because after all the fried ingredients absorb the gravy, it will tend to mash-up even further and your curry would end up getting pulpy. I would suggest using a wide flat slotted spoon to combine. This is a very fragrant dish with a creamy texture that also has a bit of sweet and tang combined. Nutritional information on islandsmile is provided as a courtesy. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on the site. these figures should only be considered as estimates
Sri Lankan kaliya curry(cooked ash plantain-brinjal curry).
Ingredients
Frying ingredients
New GroIngredients for Assembling the Curry
To make the spice powder
Instructions
PREP WORK BEFORE
MAKING KALIYA CURRY.
HOW TO CUT BRINJALS
FOR THE KALIYA.
THE ASH PLANTAINS.
HOW TO CUT THE POTATOES
FOR THE KALIYA.
HOW TO FRY THE BRINJALS,
ASH PLANTAIN AND
POTATOES.
HOW TO MAKE THE KALIYA GRAVY.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 7
Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 412Total Fat: 24gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 65mgSodium: 181mgCarbohydrates: 41gFiber: 5gSugar: 12gProtein: 14g
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riz
Monday 7th of June 2021
thank you..i tried it today and it was amazing
jehan
Monday 7th of June 2021
you are most welcome Regards J