Sri Lankan Chicken Sodhi

This is our colleague Dashi’s recipe. It’s usually made with the bones of a leftover chicken curry. And with its generous amounts of garlic and pepper, it’s also great when you have a cold.
There’s also a south Indian vegetarian version of this “soup” made with lentils. Sodhi is great with rice, idlis or dosas.
You can also make a heartier version of this soup by adding vegetables like carrots or tomatoes.
Ingredients
- ½ lb chicken bones
- 1 liter water
- 2 Tbsp tamarind pulp, undiluted
- 1 onion, chopped
- 20 curry leaves
- ½ liter coconut milk
- 3 Tbsp black pepper
- 12 cloves garlic
Method
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1
Rinse bones well in cool water.
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2
Place in a pot with water, tamarind, onion, and curry leaves. Bring to a boil and let simmer 1 hour.
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3
Add coconut milk and cook 5 minutes more.
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4
Meanwhile, crack pepper in a mortar, then add garlic and grind into a rough paste.
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5
Incorporate paste to soup and salt to taste. Give it a boil and serve.