South Asia's island cuisine - hotter and more coconut-driven than mainland Indian. Defining elements: pandan, curry leaves, freshly toasted (kalu) curry powder, Maldive fish flakes, coconut milk and kithul jaggery. Hoppers (bowl-shaped fermented rice pancakes), kottu roti (chopped roti stir-fried hot on a flat-top), fish ambul thiyal (sour goraka tuna curry), pol sambol (fresh coconut sambal) and watalappam (steamed jaggery custard) define the table. Rice with three or four mini-curries is the everyday plate.
Fresh grated coconut (or rehydrated desiccated coconut) is mashed with dried red chillies, salt and lime juice in a mortar, or pulsed briefly in a small food processor. Red onion, Maldive fish flakes and curry leaves are folded through. The mixture stays moist; the chillies soak in and turn the sambol deep red.
Whole spices dry-toast until smoky, then grind to a Sri Lankan curry powder (coriander, cumin, fennel, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, fenugreek). Onion melts in coconut oil with curry leaves, pandan and lemongrass. Chicken pieces sear briefly; the spice mix blooms; thin coconut milk simmers everything until tender; thick coconut milk finishes the sauce. Lime at the table.
Eggs whisk with grated kithul jaggery (or palm sugar) until the sugar starts to dissolve. Coconut milk and ground spices fold in. The mixture strains through a sieve into ramekins (or one wide dish), gets steamed gently until just-set with a slight wobble. Topped with toasted cashews; served chilled or at room temperature.