Fried squid curry

serves 4–6
ingredients
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
900g/2lb small squid, cleaned
and cut into 2.5cm/1in rings
1 teaspoon soft brown sugar
For the curry sauce
2 small onions, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
8 curry leaves
7cm/3in piece of cinnamon stick,
broken in half
1 lemon grass stalk, tough outer
layer removed, bruised
1⁄2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1 tablespoon Sri Lankan curry
powder
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed
lime juice
600ml/1pt coconut milk
salt
• Put all the ingredients for the curry sauce into a heavy saucepan and
bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer the sauce for about
45 minutes until it is very thick.
• Heat half of the the oil in a large frying pan, and add half of the squid.
Cook over a fairly high heat, stirring constantly, for 1–2 minutes until the
squid has turned white and is just cooked. Using a slotted spoon,
transfer the squid to the curry sauce, and repeat the process with the
remaining oil and squid.
• Stir the sugar into the squid curry, and simmer the curry gently for
5 minutes to heat through. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
Serve at once.