Kandu Kukulhu (with Real Thai Coconut Milk)
Of all the Maldivian tuna curries, Kandu Kukulhu may be the most prized — the name translates to “chicken of the sea,” which tells you where it sits. It is a bold, well-spiced curry and a fixture in many households. Ours came out with a good amount of heat, so ease back on the chillies if you prefer it gentler. We make it with Real Thai Coconut Milk, one of the Real Thai lines we bring in. It is rich and creamy with a natural coconut flavour that rounds out the spices rather than competing with them.
Ingredients List
- For the curry paste
- ⅓ cup grated coconut
- 2 roughly chopped medium-sized onions
- 2 -inch roughly chopped piece ginger
- 3 garlic cloves
- 8 cardamom pod seeds
- 2 tbsp cumin powder
- 2 tbsp fennel powder
- 12 dried red chillies
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 curry leaves
- ½ -inch cinnamon stick
- For the tuna
- 500 g tuna
- 7–9 -inch pandan leaves
- For the curry
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- 2 thinly sliced medium-sized onions
- 2 curry leaves
- 4 cardamom pods, ends snipped off
- 2.5 -inch piece of cinnamon stick
- 1 thinly sliced garlic clove
- ½ cup water
- ⅔ cup water
- 1 tsp salt
Step-by-Step Method
- 1
Prepare the curry paste by adding ⅓ cup grated coconut, 2 roughly chopped onions, 2-inch piece ginger, 3 garlic cloves, 8 cardamom pod seeds, 2 tbsp cumin powder, 2 tbsp fennel powder, 12 dried red chillies, ½ tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp salt, 3 curry leaves, and the 1/2 inch cinnamon stick to a medium sized blender. Blend for about 15 seconds, scrape down the sides and blend again for 15 seconds or until a coarse paste forms. Set aside.
- 2
Slice 500g tuna into large chunks of around 1 ½-inch thick. Place one chunk in your palms and roll the tuna while slicing thinly until you get 7-8-inch-long strips (make sure it’s not thin enough to break while rolling).
- 3
Cut the pandan leaves lengthwise into thin strips, we cut ours to ½ cm thin strips.
- 4
Place about 1 tbsp of the prepared curry paste onto each tuna slice and roll it up. Secure each roll using a strip of pandan leaf tied around it. If needed, use a toothpick for additional support. Keep the rest of the paste aside to use later.
- 5
Heat 2 tbsp cooking oil in a large pot over low heat for about 1 minute. Add the 2 thinly sliced onions, 2 curry leaves, 4 cardamom pods, and 2.5-inch piece of cinnamon stick.
- 6
Cook over medium-high heat for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions soften and begin to caramelise. Add the 1 thinly sliced garlic clove and cook for another 3 minutes until softened. Remove about half of the onion mixture from the pot and set aside for later.
- 7
In a bowl, combine ½ cup Real Thai Coconut Milk with ½ cup water to make a thin coconut milk mixture.
- 8
Add the thin coconut milk mixture, the remaining ⅔ cup water, and the rest of the curry paste to the pot. Cook over medium heat for about 2 minutes, stirring gently.
- 9
Carefully place the tuna rolls into the pot and add 1 tsp salt. If you need to mix the curry, gently shake the pot instead of stirring.
- 10
Cook until the tuna is fully cooked through for about 20 minutes. Cook for the first 5 minutes over medium-low heat, then reduce to low heat, cover with a lid and continue cooking for the remaining time. Avoid stirring the curry directly.
- 11
Add 1 cup Real Thai Coconut Milk and cook for another 1 minute over the same heat. If needed, gently shake the pot to combine.
- 12
Return the reserved onion mixture to the pot and cook for a final 1 minute. Serve hot with rice or roshi.
