A gentle, creamy coconut milk gravy seasoned with turmeric, fenugreek, pandan, and curry leaves — mild, soothing, and the essential dipping sauce for string hoppers and pittu.
Ingredients
400ml thick coconut milk
200ml thin coconut milk
1 small onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1 cm piece pandan leaf
5 curry leaves
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 green chili, slit
1/2 tsp salt
Juice of 1/2 lime
Instructions
1Pour thin coconut milk into a saucepan. Add onion, garlic, fenugreek seeds, turmeric, pandan leaf, curry leaves, and green chili.
2Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Cook for 10 minutes until onion is soft and the gravy is fragrant.
3Reduce heat to low and pour in thick coconut milk. Stir gently — do not boil vigorously or the coconut milk will split.
4Simmer very gently for 5 minutes until slightly thickened. Season with salt.
5Remove from heat and squeeze in lime juice. Serve warm.
Did You Know?
Sri Lankan grandmothers test kiri hodi by coating a spoon — if it leaves a silky film that drips slowly, the consistency is perfect.