Australian home cooks are increasingly exploring global cuisines, and one dish creating a stir is a rich and aromatic Sri Lankan tripe curry. This recipe, perfect for a weekend cooking project, combines tender braised beef tripe with a complex, spiced coconut curry sauce, served alongside flaky, layered paratha and a fresh sambal.
Creating the Perfect Paratha Dough
The foundation of this meal is the paratha, a versatile flatbread. To begin, sift 420 grams of plain flour and one tablespoon of salt into a large mixing bowl. Gently rub in two tablespoons of vegetable oil until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Next, gradually add 250 millilitres of warm water, just enough to bring everything together into a soft dough.
Knead this dough on a lightly floured surface until it becomes smooth and pliable. Wrap the dough in cling film and let it rest for one hour. This crucial resting period allows the gluten to relax, making the dough much easier to roll out thinly later.
Braising the Tripe to Perfection
While the dough rests, focus on the star of the dish: the tripe. In a large saucepan, combine 500 grams of cleaned and cut beef tripe with a flavourful braising liquid. Add one bruised stalk of lemongrass, sliced ginger, crushed garlic, tamarind paste, ground turmeric, a cinnamon stick, and a star anise.
Cover all the ingredients with water and bring the pot to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Let it cook for approximately 45 minutes, or until the tripe becomes beautifully tender. After cooking, strain the mixture, making sure to reserve both the tripe and the precious braising liquid for the next stage.
Crafting the Aromatic Curry Sauce
The soul of this dish is its deeply spiced curry sauce. Heat two tablespoons of coconut oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. To the hot oil, add a symphony of whole spices: split cardamom pods, cloves, curry leaves, a pandan leaf, and a bay leaf. Then, stir in garam masala, ground coriander, cayenne powder, and a thinly sliced red onion.
Cook this fragrant base for five to seven minutes, until the onion softens. Now, incorporate the remaining sauce ingredients: crushed garlic, brown sugar, ginger paste, a sliced green chilli, and a 400-millilitre can of coconut milk. Bring the sauce to a simmer, cover the pan, and let it cook for 20 minutes to allow the flavours to meld.
Finally, add the reserved braised tripe and 500 millilitres of the braising liquid. Let the curry simmer uncovered for another 15 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken and become intensely flavoursome. Season with salt to taste before serving.
Assembling the Final Dish
To finish the parathas, divide the rested dough into eight equal portions. Roll each portion out as thinly as possible. Brush the surface with melted ghee, sprinkle with a little flour, and then gather the dough to create concertina-like layers. Coil this layered length of dough and gently roll it out again into a 15-centimetre round.
Cook each paratha in a hot, ghee-brushed frying pan until both sides are golden brown and crisp. For the final accompaniment, quickly prepare a fresh sambal by combining shredded carrot, finely chopped red chilli and onion, chopped coriander leaves, white wine vinegar, and caster sugar.
Serve the rich, steaming Sri Lankan tripe curry with the hot, flaky paratha and the sharp, refreshing sambal. Garnish the entire dish with micro herbs for a touch of elegance and a burst of fresh flavour.
