This creamy coconut chicken curry will add the spice you never knew you needed to your night. It's filled to the brim with bright veggies and finished with a sprinkling of flair from the toasted coconut.

Ingredients

1	Kumara
300 g	Basmati rice
2	Carrots
4 cloves	Garlic
2 knobs	Ginger
1	Brown onion
1	Long green chilli
640 g	Chicken thighs (Main)
50 g	Shredded coconut
140 g	Tomato paste
400 g	Coconut milk
22 g	Sri Lankan spice blend (Main)
20 g	Chicken stock
1 dash	Olive oil
60 g	Baby spinach leaves
1 tsp	Brown sugar
3 cups	Water, (for the rice)
1 ½ cups	Water, (for the curry)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan-forced. Cut the kumara and carrot (both unpeeled) into 1cm chunks. Place the kumara, carrot, a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper on an oven tray lined with baking paper. Toss to coat, then bake until tender, 20-25 minutes. TIP: Cut the veggies to the correct size so they cook in the allocated time.‌
2. While the veggies are roasting, add the water (for the rice) to a medium saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the basmati rice, stir, cover with a lid and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 10 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat and keep covered until the rice is tender and the water is absorbed, 10 minutes. TIP: The rice will finish cooking in its own steam so don't peek!‌
3. While the rice is cooking, finely grate the ginger and garlic (or use a garlic press). Roughly chop the brown onion. Thinly slice the long greenchilli(if using). Cut the chicken thigh into 2cm chunks. Heat a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the shredded coconut and toast, tossing, until golden, 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a plate.‌
4. Return the frying pan to a high heat with a drizzle of olive oil. Add the chicken and cook, tossing, until browned and cooked through, 5-6 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Return the pan to a medium-high heat with a drizzle more olive oil if needed. Add the onion and cook until softened, 4-5 minutes. Add the tomato paste, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and Sri Lankan spice blend and cook until fragrant, 1-2 minutes.‌
5. Reduce the heat to medium and add the coconut milk, water (for the curry) and chicken stock to the frying pan and cook, until thickened, 3 minutes. Remove from the heat, then add the chicken and stir through the baby spinach leaves until wilted, 1 minute. Add a generous splash of water and gently stir through the roasted veggies. Season with salt and pepper to taste.‌
6. Divide the basmati rice between bowls and top with the Sri Lankan chicken and veggie curry. Garnish with the toasted coconut andchilli(if using).