I'm on a curry roll this week, for some reason, and I rarely do curry twice in the same week. We even ate it out at noon Tuesday, too! Tonight's dinner used a new Sri Lankan curry powder I found recently. Been wanting to try it out. The recipe makes a bit more than is shown, but when I came in to set up the photo, hubby had unfortunately already dipped his up.

I was in my local Marshall’s store a month or so ago and came across Sri Lankan curry powder. They only had one left, and as I love all things curry, decided to buy it on a whim to see what it was like. According to the internet, Sri Lankan Curry Powder is most commonly made from coriander, cumin, fennel, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, black peppercorns and curry leaves. Recipes for it abound on the net. I would say the major taste difference between Sri Lankan curry powder and the Sharwood’s brand I’ve used for years is that the Sri Lankan is heavier in cloves than what I’m accustomed to, but not overpoweringly so.

Anyway, I decided to try making a curry with it tonight using some of the slow-smoked roast pork picnic (shoulder) we grilled earlier this week. Mmmmm. Did this curry ever come out good! DH really REALLY liked it! I think it might even be better with beef or lamb than it was with pork! Since my meat was already fully-cooked and tender, I didn’t have to simmer my curry more than about 20 minutes, just long enough for the flavors to mingle. If using raw meat, you will have to simmer it a bit longer before adding your coconut cream to get it done and tender. I served hubby’s on steamed basmati rice and mine over shirataki tofu noodles. It would also be good over steamed cauliflower, sauteed zucchini noodles or shredded stir-fried cabbage. I sauteed a sliced banana in butter to serve alongside this dish and it complimented the curry wonderfully. This dish is suitable once you reach the nuts and seeds level in Ongoing Weight Loss (OWL).

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb. cooked lean pork, beef or lamb, cut into cubes (slices if using raw meat)
2 T. coconut oil
2 oz. sliced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped fine
1 tsp. ginger root, peeled and minced
1/3 c. cilantro leaves, chopped
4 large mushrooms, sliced
1 tsp. Sri Lankan Curry powder (or whatever type you have)
1½ tsp. Garam Masala (I make my own: http://buttoni.wordpress.com/2009/0...an-spice-blend/ )
½ tsp. cinnamon
1 Roma tomato, cut into large pieces
1 c. pork (or beef) broth + 1/4 c. water (more if you like more sauce)
½ coconut cream (or a little more coconut milk)
Dash salt

DIRECTIONS: Cut up meat and onion. Heat coconut oil in non-stick skillet or wok over high heat. Add onion and saute until it begins to soften. Add meat and saute until meat is beginning to brown a bit. Add all remaining ingredients except the tomato and coconut cream. Stir well, cover tightly, lower heat to lowest setting and simmer about 10 minutes (longer if you used raw meat, to ensure it gets tender). Once your meat is tender, add tomato and coconut cream and simmer 10 minutes longer until tomato is just beginning to soften but is not falling apart. If you use coconut cream, this will be thick enough as is (was for us). You can always sprinkle with your favorite thickener at this point and stir until it thickens up to your taste. At this point, I like to saute some banana slices in butter on a griddle (flipping only once when the first side is golden brown) and always serve them with my curries if I have them in the house. You want to saute nice RIPE ones for the best flavor.

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Makes 4 servings, each contains (not including rice, whatever veggies you serve this over or the banana condiment):

373 calories
25.5 g fat
4.2 g carbs, 1.28 g fiber, 2.92 g NET CARBS
31.6 g protein
170 mg sodium
556 mg potassium
38% Vitamin B6, 37% B12, 8% C, 28% copper, 27% iron, 42% niacin, 45% phosphorous, 47% riboflavin, 84% selenium, 63% thiamin, 60% zinc. (pretty nutritious, huh? not to have any veggies to speak of in it)

Wow, that looks delicious!

It WAS, Liz. Going to try other meats in it in future. Seafood, too.

I've been drooling over this for a couple days now.

Because of the coconut cream in it?

Yep, that's my understanding. Unless the latest book made a change I'm not remembering, I think coconut milk isn't acceptable until OWL, when coconut is permitted.

It's droolworthy, Nancy. I had some of the leftovers tonight (hubby is out of town) and I swear it tasted even better tonight! Since I'm restarting Induction tomorrow, I again served it over shirataki tofu noodles, despite the fact I bought hubby a 10# bag of basmati rice this afternoon. That's truly one of life's pleasures I sorely miss when I eat curry on a low-carb regimen. Curry just isn't curry without the nutty taste of basmati rice IMO. It just disappointing without it for me. But I'm doing it the LC way, despite that fact.

Wow - that looks excellent Peggy.

Sadly, I can't find coconut cream anywhere. I have a lot of markets available even Whole Foods. Maybe I can find it online.

I'm really enjoying your parmesan "Go To" bread for sandwhiches

Glad you like that bread recipe, LizzyLC. I have to order my coconut cream on-line, too. I buy it by the case from Wilderness Family Naturals in the little 8 oz. cartons. Very good coconut products, those. It's not a bad deal if you buy the 24 count case from them, though I forget the price off the top of my head. I know I'll use it up, for sure. I love it in my coffee.

Eight oz. cartons sound good. Sometimes I waste leftover coconut milk in the 14 oz. cans. I'll check out Wilderness, thanks.

Curry is good on rice, but I've eaten it on lightly steamed broccoli and without anything else, and enjoyed it very much.