Recipes

“Elumas” means goat in Sri Lanka, and its meat is actually lower in calories, saturated fats, and cholesterol than beef, pork and chicken. In South Asia, goat meat is also known as “mutton.” It is the main ingredient in cooking the popular comfort food of the Tamils, elumas or mutton curry.

The traditional elumas curry, Sri Lankan-style, is delicious and savoury. It has a distinct flavour from the Indian and Thai curries because it uses coconut cream (thicker than coconut milk) and a secret ingredient, the aromatic bathapa thuna panha or commonly known as Sinhalese curry powder. Here is my own elumas curry recipe that my family enjoys every week and the dish that I always bring during potluck parties with friends.

Ingredients:

• Elumas or mutton (goat meat) - 1 kg.
• Sinhalese curry powder (bathapu thuna panha) - 3 tbsp.
• Oil- 1 tbsp.
• Salt- 1 tbsp.
• Onion- 2 big pcs.
• Green chilies- 3 big pcs.
• Fresh Curry leaves- 4-5 pcs.
• Garlic- 5 cloves
• Ginger- 1 small pc.
• Mustard seeds- ¼ tbsp.
• Water- 2 cups
• Coconut cream – 1 cup

Method:

1. Cut mutton into small bite pieces (2 cm. cubes)
2. Finely chop the onions, crush the garlic, and slice the ginger and chilies thinly
3. In a pot, heat oil for about 3-5 minutes.
4. Put onion, green chilies, ginger, garlic and mustard. Sauté until golden brown.
5. Then add the fresh curry leaves
6. Put mutton and let it boil for 5 minutes.
7. Add the Sinhalese curry powder, salt and one cup water.
8. Simmer for 30 minutes or until mutton is tender.
9. Add the coconut cream, mix well and simmer for another 10 to 15 minutes until the sauce gets thick.
10. Adjust taste to your liking by adding salt, peppercorns or more fresh curry leaves.
11. Sprinkle with bathapu thuna paha then serve with hot basmati rice or warm pol roti (Sri Lankan flatbread). Enjoy!