How to prepare traditional Sri Lankan Sothi?
Sothi or coconut milk gravy is a popular dish in Sri Lanka and is often served to guests during Deepavali in Malaysian Sri Lankan households. Though the original one is a vegetarian dish, you can also prepare a non-vegetarian version. The mildly flavored curry is best enjoyed with some steamed rice or idiyappam. Follow these steps to prepare the best Sri Lanka Sothi.
Here are the ingredients
To prepare the traditional Sri Lanka Sothi, you will need two green chilies, one cup of fresh coconut milk, onions, two tomatoes, a handful of curry leaves, and two tablespoons of oil. For seasoning, you will need three tablespoons of lemon juice and salt, besides half a tablespoon of turmeric powder, one garlic clove, and one ginger.
First, prepare the coconut milk
Make fresh coconut milk at home to give your Sri Lanka Sothi an authentic taste. Blend freshly grated coconut meat with some warm water. Strain the mixture and squeeze to extract the milk. This is the first extract that cannot be used in this recipe since it will curdle if boiled. Repeat this process with leftover coconut two more times and use these batches.
Next, crush and saute the vegetables
After preparing the coconut milk for your Sothi, crush the ginger, and garlic and keep them aside. Then, cut the green chilies and thinly slice the onions. Pour some oil into a cooking pan, add the green chilies, sliced onions and saute for five minutes. Then add the crushed garlic, ginger and cook for three minutes until the chilies release an aroma.
Add coconut milk and let it boil
After frying the above ingredients, add tomatoes, turmeric, and coconut milk and mix everything well. Then, add some salt as per taste and let it boil for some time. Cook for at least five minutes. Then add the lemon juice, curry leaves and give it a nice mix. Your Sri Lanka Sothi is ready. You can serve it with idiyappam or steamed rice.
Some ways to have Sothi
Sothi can be eaten in a ton of different ways. Some people like to pair it with either chicken fry or fish fry. You can also top it up with a fried egg. Besides, you can make non-vegetarian versions with either chicken or fish.
