Monday, 30 December 2013

Sri Lankan Oil Cakes (Konda kavum)




Sri Lankan Oil Cakes (Konda Kavum)


Oil cake is a very authentic and a traditional sweet that made out  of rice flour , treacle, and coconut oil. After mixing the ingredients leaving the dough to rest makes this sweet forms the konde or like a knot done to womens hair. The person has to  be little skillfull to make them. I was trained from my child hood by my grand mother. After making oil cakes she gives me the last bit to try. That gave me the ability to make them nicer. You need to be patient  when cooking them, as well as it takes time and have to cook them on low flame. Traditionally they use husks and leaves of coconut tree to cook them,as the flame is not very stronger. If you make them bigger you need to cook them longer, if not the middle of the Kavum can be raw.

People use to put the cooked Kavum in big pots of treacle and tie around the pot tightly and hang them in a corner of the kitchen. After several months after the new year they took them out to have with a cup of tea. Still its happening in villages. Those dipped in treacle tastes awesome. I still can remember when I was working in a remote village, the lady at my boarding house used to serve me with them for my afternoon tea.

When adding the mix in to the oil make sure you add them slowly, and stop it and then pour the mix then on to the top. An eakle or a wooden skewer inserted in tothe middle of the kavum will help to get the konde and also it helps hot oil to go through the kavum to cook it evenly.
This sweet is a must on a new year day or for any other traditional or ceremonial event. Trying to do this is the first step and you will be successful in few attempts.

Recipe.

150 g brown sugar
1 cup very finely ground
1/2 cup plain flour
Drop of vanila
3/4/cup cold water or treacle.
coconut oil for frying.

Method

  1. Mix the flours
  2. Mix sugar water, and vanila.
  3. Let it rest 5 hours.
  4. Make the oil cakes 






Thursday, 14 November 2013

Turkish Delight

http://www.youtube.com/v/kWhRHYfEYaA?autohide=1&version=3&autohide=1&feature=share&attribution_tag=1of_3xXSSUEpPlVin3m2ow&showinfo=1&autoplay=1

Lemonade & Maple syrup Lassie

http://www.youtube.com/v/kQS_4DBfwvg?version=3&autohide=1&feature=share&autoplay=1&autohide=1&attribution_tag=DiO9tSMJyaMsQrpB8oRBNA&showinfo=1

Wednesday, 13 November 2013

Fried Bitter Gourd Salad

http://www.youtube.com/v/thSOltNEjzc?autohide=1&version=3&autoplay=1&attribution_tag=MXIOypTVSpWVd33LG4I1uA&showinfo=1&feature=share&autohide=1

Tuesday, 12 November 2013

How to Poach an Egg perfectly (+playlist)

http://www.youtube.com/v/sOTen4EvJds?version=3&list=UUU9yzHuVMjJa7yBXPnlTHIA&autohide=1&showinfo=1&feature=share&autoplay=1&attribution_tag=homnxzecEDVa8HEAAh54YA

Monday, 11 November 2013

Asparagus & Mustard Stir Fry

http://www.youtube.com/v/ZzMXe9yuN4U?autohide=1&version=3&attribution_tag=hTezlL5TUmXSxja5afL6Zw&autoplay=1&showinfo=1&feature=share&autohide=1

Asparagus & Mustard Stir Fry

http://www.youtube.com/v/ZzMXe9yuN4U?autohide=1&version=3&attribution_tag=hTezlL5TUmXSxja5afL6Zw&autoplay=1&showinfo=1&feature=share&autohide=1

Sunday, 10 November 2013

Murukku (Fried Chickpea and rice flour wheels)

http://www.youtube.com/v/y59t6wo1se8?autohide=1&version=3&attribution_tag=zzuFb8rkKZCADQTJ_E2kkA&feature=share&autoplay=1&autohide=1&showinfo=1

Saturday, 9 November 2013

Semolina Toffees (Rulang Aluwa)

http://www.youtube.com/v/6DcQQ-NJaIY?autohide=1&version=3&attribution_tag=Dpw4cdSW9uJk36cjnFfoLQ&autoplay=1&showinfo=1&feature=share&autohide=1

Home made Crepes

http://www.youtube.com/v/sRDgMwEdzbY?version=3&autohide=1&autoplay=1&showinfo=1&attribution_tag=qJXxGaawSErC_G6wbTVxjw&feature=share&autohide=1

Steamed Sweet Hoppers (Wandu Aappa)

http://www.youtube.com/v/TlnwLazlweA?version=3&autohide=1&feature=share&autoplay=1&autohide=1&attribution_tag=xbrQZiGhl8R8TTcJ0BSUJg&showinfo=1

Marble Pudding

http://www.youtube.com/v/WrnN4C-FTX0?version=3&autohide=1&showinfo=1&autohide=1&autoplay=1&feature=share&attribution_tag=uMmYTkZRSdAYjGDfJKxuGQ

Coconut Cake (Pol Cake /Bibikkan / Katta Bibikkan)

http://www.youtube.com/v/I0mUKeUeGRc?version=3&autohide=1&showinfo=1&autohide=1&autoplay=1&feature=share&attribution_tag=mkY-Mu-TKlsIEpwlAz59lA

Sunday, 3 November 2013

Fried Bombay Duck Curry (Bombeli Karawala)

http://www.youtube.com/v/4M1BqS4r3pM?version=3&autohide=1&autohide=1&feature=share&autoplay=1&showinfo=1&attribution_tag=gwJ5CVXWDjq3fU9HoqCtqA

Saturday, 2 November 2013

Kiri Dodol/ Kiriya / Kiri Aluwa (+playlist)

http://www.youtube.com/v/o9rOmtjNeao?list=UUU9yzHuVMjJa7yBXPnlTHIA&version=3&attribution_tag=eUjC2X6_1T7RMeupzthfiQ&showinfo=1&autoplay=1&autohide=1&feature=share

Friday, 1 November 2013

Quick and Easy Christmas Cake

http://www.youtube.com/v/eL8kehjc8IY?autohide=1&version=3&showinfo=1&attribution_tag=rxsifp5ChfqkoKoMjpikew&autohide=1&autoplay=1&feature=share

Beetroot Curry (specially for lunch boxes and parcels)

http://www.youtube.com/v/p2h-8YhS-mU?autohide=1&version=3&autohide=1&feature=share&attribution_tag=4-uMK-OK1ugM5wsS6ZFuWA&showinfo=1&autoplay=1

Thursday, 31 October 2013

Pgs in a Blanket

http://www.youtube.com/v/DSjNJSSngHQ?version=3&autohide=1&autohide=1&feature=share&showinfo=1&autoplay=1&attribution_tag=K5j5nHLhgFwl8E1dkPUU2Q

Wednesday, 30 October 2013

Vanilla CheeseCake

http://www.youtube.com/v/uJsHk_gTVmY?version=3&list=UUU9yzHuVMjJa7yBXPnlTHIA&showinfo=1&autoplay=1&autohide=1&attribution_tag=KTyrBG94muuXQo-XkiWmgw&feature=share

Tuesday, 29 October 2013

Curried Egg Sandwiches

http://www.youtube.com/v/VS-OXgrljog?version=3&autohide=1&autohide=1&feature=share&showinfo=1&autoplay=1&attribution_tag=6DHqCBDUteNs3fFK2Tq3Aw

Sunday, 29 September 2013

Baked Doughnuts



Baked Doughnuts
Ingredients

  • 350g plain flour
  • 50g milk powder
  • 7g yeast
  • 1 tblsp sugar
  • 3 Tblsp luke warm water
  • 1 egg
  • Salt
  • 25 g margarine or butter.
  • 100g Sugar
  • 100 ml luke warm water.
  • Butter to brush the tops of doughnuts
For cinnamon sugar
  • 2 Tblsp caster sugar
  • Cinnamon powder
Method
  1. Make the yeast mix. Leave several minutes to prove.
  2. Then add margarine, salt. milk powder,plain flour, sugar,egg & yeast in to a mixing bowl and mix it about a minute.
  3. While mixing add the  water.
  4. Knead the dough for 15 min.
  5. If you find the dough is a bit runny add a bit more flour while kneading.
  6. Transfer the mix in to a greased bowl and leave in a warm place to double in size.
  7. When the dough is double in size punch down and put it on a floured bench top.
  8. Spread the dough and cut using a doughnut cutter or large and small round cutters.
  9. Leave it to in a warm place to double in size.
  10. Bake the dough nuts about 10 min on 160.
  11. Take out and brush the tops with butter and sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top.
  12. Bake again 10 min until golden brown.

Friday, 27 September 2013

Butter Cake



Butter Cake

Ingredients


  • 3 Large Eggs
  • 1/4 cup fresh milk
  • 185 g Self Raising Flour
  • 60 g Plain Flour
  • 1 Tblsp Vanila
  • 185 g Caster Sugar
  • 185 g Softened Butter

Method

  1. Preheat oven 180c.
  2. Spray or put paper in to a baking tray. (20cm)
  3. Cream Butter & sugar first.
  4. Next add vanila.
  5. Then add eggs one by one. Beat on high speed about 30 seconds.
  6. Add flour and add milk while mixing.
  7. Put the mix in to baking tray.
  8. Bake 180 about 30 min.

Sri Lankan Sugar coated Sweet buns (Kimbula Banis)



Kimbula banis or the sugar coated sweet buns were one of my child hood favourite. I loved them with a well riped banana specially with ambul kesel. I used to buy them from the bread man for my kids to take to school. The taste & the shape makes it evry bodies choice. Where ever you go you can buy these beautiful buns to accompany your cup of tea.
The amount of water depends with the size of the eggs and the flour using. Here I use very strong bread flour. If you are using plain flour use 275ml of water. Add more sugar if you like more sweetness.This recipe makes 16 large buns. 

Lankan Sugar Coated Sweet  Buns (Kimbula Banis)

Ingredients

  • 700g Bread flour or plain flour
  • 35 g Milk Powder
  • 2 Eggs
  • 10g Yeast
  • 50 g Brown Sugar
  • 100g Caster sugar
  • 50 g Butter
  • Salt
  • 350ml Milk
Method
  1. Preheat oven to 160 fanforced or 180 normal.
  2. Add sugar, flour and salt in to a miximg bowl and mix it.
  3. Add 3 -5 tblsp luke warm water and sugar to the yeast and leave it to activate.
  4. Then add the yeast in to the mix.
  5. Add Butter, milk powder and eggs.
  6. Then add the water little by little.
  7. Knead the dough for 15 minutes.
  8. Grease a bowl and transfer the dough and cover witha damp cloth and leave in a warm place until the dough is double in size.
  9. When the dough is double in size, punch down and put on toa floured bench top.
  10. Roll it to a rectangle.
  11. Cut triangles from the dough as shown in the video.
  12. Roll the dough from the wider side to the other end.
  13. Put them on trays until double in size.
  14. Brush the tops with water or melted butter.
  15. Sprinkle sugar on top.
  16. Bake for 30 min.

Tuesday, 24 September 2013

Date Cake





Date Cake

Ingredients

  • 500 g dates ppitted
  • 1 cup water
  • 100g brown sugar
  • 2 Eggs
  • 125 g Butter
  • 1 1/2 Cups Self raising flour
  • 2 tsp Vanila
  • 1 tsp Bicarb.

Method

  • Preheat the oven 180 or 160 fan forced.
  • Add the dates, Butter, sugar & water.
  • Cook it till it boils
  • Add bicarb and leave it to cool down.
  • Whisk the eggs.
  • Add eggs, self raising flour,vanila and mix well.
  • Add the mixture in to a baking tray and bake 40 min.

Sri Lankan Fish pasties (Deep fried fish pasties)



Sri Lankan fish pasties are a very popular snack. The pastry gives it a real taste when its deep fried. The taste of the fish and potatoes with added spices gives it a awesome taste. I can remember my mum used to make them for alms givings and for as a snack for special occations.
Its worth making them for snacking or as a finger food. If you dont like to consume a lot of oil in your food add a teaspoon ful baking powder in to the dough and bake them  on 180 about 20 minutes.
You can make several batches at once and freeze them for future use. You can freeze them for 3-4 months with out a problem. If you feeze after frying, just thaw them in the microwave or bake them for several minutes.

Sri Lankan Fish Pasties

Ingredients

For the pastry.........
  • 250 g Plain flour / or 2 cups of plain flour.
  • 115 g Butter (Chilled)
  • 60 ml of chillied Water
For the Filling

  • 1 can of Mackeral
  • 2 boiled & Mashed potatoes
  • Salt
  • Onions finely diced
  • Chillies
  • Curry leaves
  • Curry powder
  • Chillie powder
  • Pepper
Method
  • Add butter and plain flour in to a mixing bowl.
  • Add a liitle water make a smooth dough. (nearly 5-10 Min)
  • While kneading the dough make the filling.
  • Add oil in to a pan & add onion , Chillies and curry leaves.
  • Cook 2-3 min until onions are soft.
  • Add the spices ,salt and fish and cook it a minute
  • Add potatoes and cook another minute.
  • And leave it to cool.
  • Put the pastry in the fridge for 30 min.
  • Then divide the dough in to two equal parts and then each in to a circle.
  • Cut the dough in to circles.
  • Fill with the filling  and press with a fork.
  • Deep fry it until golden brown.
  • Serve with tomato sauce.