Sri Lankan chicken curry

I'm not much of an expert on Sri Lankan food (or knowledgeable at all, really!). I'm still a novice when it comes to cooking dishes from this region, but my first attempt at cooking a Sri Lankan chicken curry turned out pretty nice. I served it alongside kottu roti (stir fried bread and vegetables, recipe to follow), which tends to be served on it's own as a tasty fast food meal. But I was greedy to try both!

Curry mee

I think this is officially my new favourite noodle dish. It's very spicy, sweet with coconut milk and jaggery, and bursting with sweet prawns, meaty pork balls, and tender crisp vegetables. Don't let the number of ingredients put you off - once everything's assembled, it cooks quickly and easily, and results in a supremely satisfying bowl of spicy goodness.

Jungle curry

	Jungle curry is known for it's fiery taste and vegetables sourced from the "jungle" - the spices are broadly similar to those used in Thai red curry, but omitting the coconut milk. Add as much chili as you like and serve on rice for a healthy meal.

Thai curried pumpkin

This is a very nice, simple recipe adapted from Appon's Thai food website. She uses pre-made yellow curry paste as a key ingredient; for purists and those who like to adjust the heat of their dishes, I've listed a basic recipe for yellow curry paste below. Feel free to play with the proportions to get the degree of heat required. I've also increased her amounts of pumpkin and pork, as I'm a greedy guts, and reduced her amounts of salty ingredients (because nobody's got time for high blood pressure). Enjoy!

Chiang Mai curry (kaeng hangleh or gaeng hanglay)

The food of northern Thailand is quite different from that of the south. Instead of rich coconut-milk curries, you'll see a noticeable Burmese influence on the food, and a love of chilies and pork. Here I've offered both a traditional, slightly sour-tasting, pork curry recipe (kaeng hangleh muu) and a veggie variation as well, for those who don't eat pork or simply want a healthier option.

Thai red curry veggies

There are probably as many variations on Thai red curry as there are Thai grandmothers. And why not? Tasty, quick and easy... it's no surprise these dish has found world-wide popularity. My version is made with sweet potato, aubergine, and deep fried tofu, making it a healthy option, and one that can easily be adapted for vegetarians (I've included the veggie options below). I like my curry dryer than most, so add more coconut milk and water to thin out the sauce if you want it wetter.

Malay chicken curry

With Malaysia's long history of immigration from India, it's not surprising that curry has become a very popular dish in Malaysia. This is a wet chicken curry, meaning it makes a lot of sauce. The coconut milk adds a hint of sweetness, and the peanut butter adds even more richness. Serve alongside bowls of rice and a vegetable side dish for a filling and yumtastic meal. This dish is also hugely popular served with roti canai (delicious oily and flaky flatbreads).

Most versions of this recipe (kari ayam) are simpler than mine and use curry powder, omiting the shrimp paste, kaffir lime leaves, peanut butter, lemongrass and turmeric. Sometimes cinnamon and star anise are also added. Malaysian curry powders (like Baba's brand) taste different than Indian ones, and can be hard to find in some places (you need a decent Asian grocery store). I've included a variation below, but don't be afraid to try different combinations until you find your favourite.

Kaukswe hin (Burmese chicken and noodles)

I've never been to Burma, but if this curry is anything to go by, the food must be worth the trip. Kaukswe hin is one of those great dishes that you can easily adapt to each diner's palate - serve chilli sauce and lime wedges on the side so they can be added to taste at the table. Other popular garnishes include deep fried onions and chopped fresh coriander.

Black pepper lamb

Pepper can be a funny spice. A little can warm you, or bring out the taste of sweet dishes. Too much of it can make the dish fiery and harsh. But just the right amount? Therein lies heaven (or as close to heaven as lamb curry gets).

Khao sawy AKA khao soi (Chiang Mai curried noodles)

Chiang Mai was my first experience of Thailand. I arrived at dinner-time, after 16 hours of travel, disoriented, exhausted and hungry. Half an hour later I was sitting amid the cacophony of a night market, slurping a bowl of noodle soup. Even now, years later, I still have such fond memories of Chiang Mai, and Chiang Mai street food.

Panaeng veggie curry

A delicious, warming curry for a drizzly winter evening: use your favourite vegetables if the ones below don't appeal, and serve with a mound of fluffy white rice. Perfect!

Cardamon chicken curry

This Northern Indian dish blends cardamon and cinnamon to delicious effect and makes a very thick sauce, perfect for scooping up with hunks of warm naan bread. Serve with a vegetable dish or two for a perfect better-than-take-away meal.

Traditionally this sort of dish would be made with diced chicken, but I prefer the extra flavour of meat cooked on the bone. If you want to use diced chicken, reduce the cooking time and the amount of water added by half.

Eggplant curry

Confession time: aubergine has never been my favourite vegetable. So my preferred recipes for aubergines are those that add lots of strong flavours, like garlic, or Parmesan cheese. This north Indian recipe uses plenty of garlic. ginger and tomato, with added chili to up the punch.

Sri Lankan egg curry

	This curry, adapted from a recipe by Peter Kuruvita, won't win any beauty contests but it tastes absolutely sublime. Pictured: Sri Lankan egg curry (right), beetroot curry (left) and cucumber curry (top). You can find the recipes for the beet and cucumber curry, plus Peter's original recipe for authentic egg curry, in his cookbook Serendip.

Golden curry



Japanese canteen food is my ultimate in quick-and-easy comfort eating, and my favourite canteen dish is golden curry (often served over a breaded pork or chicken cutlet and rice, called katsu curry). In the UK, the best-known version of this dish is served at Wagamama. But it's also incredibly easy to make at home, and you don't even need to make the curry sauce from scratch – no one in Japan does!

Massaman curry

	Ever since CNNGo named it the most delicious food in the world in 2011, it seems everybody has their own version of massaman curry (although considering CNNGo also included both poutine and marmite on their list of deliciousness, they may have been drinking heavily at the time).
This most-aromatic of Thai curries seems to have originated with Arab traders, hence the name. Massaman curry is most commonly made with beef, although I like mine with lamb or tofu.