Mukunuwanna Curry

Mukunuwenna Curry

Mukunuwanna leave has a aurvedic medicinal value as well as packed with lots of nutrients. People believe that it cools down your body as well as improves your brain power. Not like modern days people used to have a green leaves accompany their meals all the time. Not only that gives colour it supplied enough nutrients for their bodies too. Mukunuwanna is a very famous green leaf in Sri Lanka and it is really common. Now we used to buy them from the market. Long time ago in villages they used to pick them from and around the paddy fields. With the modernised world pesticides kill all these plants. When you pick them your self the flavours are very high. 

If you buy them from market try to buy them with short stems and green leaves. Use the tender part (first 5-6 leaves) in a curry or as a Salad. The stems can be used as mallum or even in kola kanda. Don’t throw any thing. When you throw thing it wastes your money without your knowing.  Plant the very hard part in a corner or in a pot. That helps you grow your own veggies , save your money and feed your children with no pesticide foods.

When you buy leaves from market sanitise it before use. Adding salt in to a bucket of water or even a drop of bleach in to bucket of water will solve the problem too.

Ingredients

• Very tender Mukunuwanna leaves
• Lots of green chillies
• Maldive fish flakes
• Onion sliced
• Salt
• Thick coconut milk

Method

• Add the Curry ingredients in to a pot with coconut milk and simmer it on low heat.
• Put the mukunuwanna leaves slowly in to the simmering gravy mix.
• Cook 1-2 min .

Luffa (Ridge Guord) Skin with Coconut (Watakolu pothu Mallum)

Luffa believed to be a less calorie vegetable. In Sri Lanka its always cooked as a white curry. Luffa skins comes with loads of fibre and it taste creamier if you bite it raw. Once you cook it with coconut it gives a really creamy tatse and accompanies rice dishes very well.
My grand mother used to steam themand mix them with freshly grated coconut. Its awesome. Though there are only a few ingredients in this it gives loads of flavours to this dish.
When we buy vegetables the we should take the maximum advantage of that with out throwing in to the rubbish bins. It saves not only money keeps us healthy too. People buy artificial fibre to keep their movements regular when they can use daily vegetables with fibre.

Luffa (Ridge Guord) Skin with Coconut (Watakolu Pothu Mallum)

Ingredients

•  Luffa skin 
• - 4 Chillies
• - 3 Cloves of garlic
• - 1 Onion
• - Salt
• - Pepper
• - Cup of Fresh Coconut
• - Margarine

Method.

• Cut the luffa skins in to tiny pieces.
• Put a pan on the stove with one tblsp margarine or oil to be hot.
• Add garlic, Onionand chillies.
• After a minute add the Luffa skin.
• Cook several minutes uncovered.
• When its just tender add coconut and take out.

Chicken Meatball Curry (+playlist)

Meatballs are one of my favourite. I used to buy from the shop and cook them for my kids.I now regret for doing that. One thing was I havent had any idea of making them and easy to buy them .There is a huge differance when you make them. The main advantage is you exactly know whats in it. There are no colours and preservertives. That means chemical free. In making meat balls and sausages there is a standard amount of fat included. When you make it by your self you can buy the best part of the meat and mince it. Then you are 100% sure about the fat quantity that you are going to consume.
When you make chicken meat balls you can add any herb or spice that you like. When you cook it in a gravy the taste goes through the meat balls and make them more nicer and lighter too.
You can grill, BBQ or bake them too for a change. I selected chicken thighs as it has more flavour. You can use any part to select the meat.

Chicken Meat Balls Curry

Ingredients

For the Meat Balls

• - 5 Chicken Thighs
• - 1/2 Cup of Bread Crumbs 
• - 1 Egg
• - 1 Onion
• - Chillies
• - 1/2 of A lime
• - Garlic
• - Curry Leaves
• - 1/2 Teaspoon of Chillie Powder
• - 1/2 Teaspoon of Pepper
• - 1 Teaspoon of Cumin Powder
•   1 Stock cube

For the Curry

• - Pandan Leaves
• - Cinnamon
• - Fenugreek Seeds
•   Curry leaves
•  1 - 11/2 Cup Thick coconut milk
•   Onion
•   Garlic
•   Fresh Chillies
•   1/2 of a lime
•  1 Tblsp Curry powder
•  1 Tblsp Chillie powder
•  1/2 Tsp Tumeric Powder
•  1/2 Tsp Pepper

Method

1. Add the Curry ingredients in to a pot with coconut milk and simmer it on low heat.
2. Add meat ball ingredients and process to a smooth paste.
3. Wet hands and make meat balls to the size you like.
4. Put them slowly in to the simmering gravy mix.
5. Cook 10 -15 min until the chicken is cooked and gravy is thick.

Fresh Baby Jackfruit Curry

Baby jackfruits believed to be full of fibre and plenty of nutrients. Its a common dish all over Sri Lanka. With the modernised world we have no time to cook it this long but its worth cooking it in this way at least once in a while to taste old type of cooking.
I did my difficult service in a very remote area in Kandy, called Doraliyadda very close to the victoria power station and the dam.. The lady of that house( Where I stayed)  used to cook this in the evening. She used a large clay pot and cooked at least 2 jack fruits in that pot. She added all the ingredients in to the pot and then, add lots of coconut husks and a large log in to the out side stove made of three large stones. Then she places the pot on the stove and leaves on that low flame the whole night. The next morning when you check it its oily and looks very thick and glossy. All the liquids has evaporated and the taste was devine. Still after 22 years I feel like having it like that.

If you like to do it in a pressure cooker you can. But make sure you add only 2 cups of coconut milk only.

Fresh Baby Jackfruit Curry

Ingredients

• Baby jack fruit
• 7 cups Coconut milk
• Curry leaves
• Pandan leaves
• Cinnamon
• 1/2 tblsp un roasted Curry powder
• 1 tblsp Chillie Powder
• 1 tblsp roasted Curry powder
• Tumeric 
• 1 onion
• 1 tsp Fenugreek seeds
• Cardamon & cloves
• Maldive fish flakes
• 1 tomato
• oil for tempering
• Garlic
• Goraka (Garcinia Gambogia)
• Salt
• Pepper

Method.

• Add oil in to a pan & add cardamon, cloves fenugreek seeds with cinnamon
• Fry untill it releases the aroma.
• Add garlic, onion, curry leaves & pandan leaves.
• Then add the spices. cook 1 minute.
• Add jackfruit & all the other in gredients.
• Cook it on simmer about 1 -2 hours untill its tender and it has absorbed all the flavours through.

Coconut & Honey Cookies

Coconut & Honey Cookies

Ingredients

• - 125g of  Butter
• - 1 1/2 Cups of Self Raising Flour 
• - 1/2 Cup of Sugar
• - 2 Tablespoons of Honey
• - 1 Egg
• - 2 Tablespoons of Decicated Coconut

Method

• Preheat oven to 180.
• Put baking sheets on  a cookie tray.
• Cream Butter & sugar
• Add honey and egg. Cream the ingredients
• Add Self raising flour.
• After mixing take a spoon full mix to your hand.
• Dip that in coconut.
• Roll and flatten them. 
• Lay on cookie sheets.
• Bake 180 about 10 - 15 minutes.

Chicken Drumsticks Curry

Chicken Drumsticks Curry.

Ingredients

• - 1kg of Chicken Drumsticks
• - Green Chillies
• - Pundan Leaves
• - Curry Leaves
• - SeveralTomatoes
• - 1 tsp Coriander Powder
• - 1 tspPepper
• - 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
• - 1 Tblsp Chilli Powder 
•   1 Tblsp Curry Powder
•  Salt
• 1 Onion
• Garlic
• Ginger

Method

• If you are doing it in a pot add all the ingredients in to a pressure cooker and cook for 15 min adding a cup of water.
• If doing in a pan..
• Add 2 tblsp oil in to a pan.
• Add ginger and garlic with onions cook several minutes.
• Add curry leaves , cinnamon and pandan leaves & cook for a minute.
• Add spices and cook another minute.
• Add salt.
• Add chicken and tomatoes with 3 cups of water.
• Cook for an hour on low heat.

Spicy Tofu Fry

Spicy Tofu Fry

Ingredients

• 550 g Tofu
• 1 Onion
• 1 Tomato
• Green Part of the leek
• 1 Tblsp from each Ginger & Garlic paste
• 1 Tblsp Crushed Chillies
• Salt
• 2 Tblsp Dark soy sauce
• 1/2 tblsp Shrimp paste
• Green Chillies
• 2-3 Tblsp oil
• Corn flour for coatinf tofu
• Tomato sauce or ketch up.

Method

• Coat  the tofu with enough corn flour and leave several minutes .
• Add oil in to a pan and fry the tofu.
• Drain on paper towels.
• Fry onion, ginger garlic and all the other ingredients in the same pan with the oil left in  the pan.
• Add vegetables.
• Add tofu and cook for several minutes.

Butterfly Cakes

Butterfly Cup Cakes

Ingredients

• - 3 Eggs
• - 160g of Caster Sugar
• - 80ml of Milk
• - 125g of Butter
• - 1 1/2 Cups of Self Raising Flour
• - Vanilla 
• - Thickened Cream
• - Srawberry Jam

Method

• Preheat oven to 180.
• Prepare a 12 muffin hole tray with paper cases.
• Beat butter & sugar.
• Add vanilla eggs and beat well.
• Then add the self raising flour and milk.
• Mix one minute.
• Fill the muffin holes equally and bake for 20-30 minutes.
• After cooling several hours cut a large circle from the top using a sharp pointed knife.
• Fill with butter and whipped cream.
• Cut the top in to two equal pieces and put it on the cream as feathers of a butterfly.

Fish & Vegetable Lasagna.

Fish & vegetable lasagna recipe is really a good dish and I thought of sharing this recipe with you all. Every time I come home from work I wish if some one can cook for me. With the busy life style I am always trying to do one pot meal for dinner. I was so tired when I was doing this video. If you find me not energetic when talking thats the reason.
I used a nice tomato pasta sauce that one of my Italian friend gave me after making a big batch for them for the whole year. Its really favour ful and fresh. Not alt all like what you buy from the shop.
I dont like very wet saucy lasagna. I really like to see it in shape when you cut it serve. If it is holding the shape well you can serve it any one proudly. If you can make the sauce a day head its really easy to assemble them when you want to cook.

Fish & Vegetable Lasagna.

Ingredients

• -  Spanish mackerel or any kind of fish 
• - Beans 
• - Carrots
• - 1 Onion
• - 20g of Butter
• - 1 stock Cuber
• - 30g of Flour
• - Green Chillies
• - Milk
• - Instant Lasagne Sheets
• - Cheese
• - Tomato Sauce for cooking / canned tomato or pasta sauce
• Spices to your taste
• Salt & pepper.

Method

• Add fish in to a pot. 
• Add milk and bay leaves salt pepper and any herb you like.
• Poach the fish in milk.
• Preheat the oven to 180.
• Add the tomato sauce or canned tomato in to a pot.
• Add all the vegetables and spices to your liking and cook until the sauce is slightly thick.
• Add the poached flaked fish  in to the tomato mix.
• Thicken the milk remaining after poaching the fish with flour and butter.
• Add A spoon flu of the veggie mix to a bottom of a deep baking tray  and spread all over.
• Then add the lasagna sheets .
• Then add another layer of mix and lasagna sheets.
• Repeat and finally add the white sauce on to the top layer and sprinkle  mozarella cheese.
• bake on 180 about 20 - 30 min until the pasta cooked and golden brown on top.
• Leave 10 - 15 minutes to rest.
• Cut & serve.

Chicken Giblets Curry

Chicken Giblets Curry

Ingredients

•     7 50g of Chicken Giblets 
• - 1 Cup of Coconut Milk
• - Curry Leaves
• - Pundan Leaves
• - Garlic
• - Salt
• - Green Chillies
• - 1 Onion
• - 1 Chicken Stock Cube
• - Chillie Powder
• - Pepper
• - Tumeric Powder
• - Roasted Curry Powder
•   Cinnamon

Method.

• Add oil in to a pan and cook onion and garlic,cinnamon, curry leaves and pandan leaves
• Add chicken giblets with the spices and the stock cubes and cook several minutes.
• Add tomatoes and green chillies. Cook half an hour.
• Add coconut milk and cook further 5 -10 min.

Chicken Samosa

Chicken Samosa

Ingredients

• - 500g of Chicken Mince
• - 2 Onions
• - Garlic
• - Salt
• - Green Chillies
• - Tomato
• - Green Beans
• - Carrot Garlic 
• - Ginger
• - Pepper
• -  Tumeric Powder
• - Coriander Powder
• - Chillie Powder 
• - Short Crust Pastry

Method

• Preheat oven to 180.
• Add oil in to a pan and cook the onions ginger and garlic paste.
• Add the chicken mince and brown it.
• Add all the other ingredients and cook until there is no liquid.
• Leave the mix to cool down.
• Take short crust pastry sheets and cut a large circle.
• Then cut the circle in to four.
• Take a piece of pastry in to your hand and make a corn as instructed in the video.
• Fill in the mix. press and seal the edges.
• Bake 20 - 30 minutes or deep fry them until golden brown.
• Serve hot with tomato sauce.

String Hopper Biriyani

String Hopper Biriyani

Ingredients

• - 30 String Hoppers
• - 200g of Chicken Thight Cutlets
• - Sprin Onions
• - Green Chillies
• - Carrots
• - Garlic & Ginger Paste
• - 1 Cup Beans
• - 1 Tomato
• - 2 Onions
• - 2 Stock Cubes
• - Cumin Seeds
• - Cardamom Seeds
• - Corriander Powder
• - Tumerioc Powder
• - Chillie Powder
• 1 cup water to dissolve stock cubes or 1 cup stock water
• 1 cup thick coconut milk.

Method.

• Add one tblsp oil in to a pan.
• Add the coconut milk in to the string hoppers.
• Add cumin seeds & cardamon seeds and let it splutter.
• Then add onion garlic , ginger paste ,& curry leaves. Cook several minutes.
• Add chicken, chillies and spices.
• Add tomatoes and stock water. Cook 20 min.
• Add vegetables and cook one min.
• Lastly add spring onions and string hoppers.
• Mix and serve hot.

Lime & Currant Loaf

Lime & Currant Loaf

Ingredients

•  1 Cup of Currents
• - 1 Cup of Caster Sugar
• - 125g of Butter
• - 3 Eggs
• - Lime zest
• - 2 tblsp Lime Juice
• - 1 cup of Self Raising Flour
• - 1/2 Cup of Plain Flour
• - 1/3 Cup of Sour Cream
•    Zest of the lime.

Method.

• Preheat oven to 180.
• Spray a 4x10 inch or 9x5 inch loaf pan.
• Beat Butter sugar & lime zest
• Add sour cram & eggs,Mix well
• Add plain & self raising flours, lime juice, & currants.
• Mix one minute.
• Spread the mix in the pan.
• Bake 40 - 60 min.

Potato & Sweet Corn Chowder

Potato & Sweet Corn Chowder.

Ingredients.

• - 2 Large Potatoes
• - Sweet Corn
• - 8 Cups of Water
• - Olive Oil
• - 2 Onions
• - Salt
• - Garlic
• - Celery
• - 2 Carrots
• - Corriander
• 2 stock cubes or stock water

Method..

• Cut the potatoes & other vegetables.
• Add oil in to a pot and fry onion,garlic and celery.
• Add other vegetables.
• Add stock water
• Cook 30 60 min.
• Blend half of the chowder.
• Add and mix back to the pot.
• Cook and add corriander or parsley.
• Serve hot.

Corn Fritters

Corn Fritters

These corn fritters are really beautiful and tasty. Serve hot with a tomato sauce. If you don’t like to consume lots of oil cook it in your pancake maker or in a pan. This recipe serves four to six people. So adjust it your family size.

Ingredients

•   2 Cups of Fresh Milk
• - 1 Tablespoon of Baking Powder
• - Parsley
• - Fresh Corn Kernals
• - Salt
• - 3 Eggs
• - 2 Cups of Plain Flour 
• - 1 Tablespoon Corriander
• - Cumin Powder
• - 1/2 Teaspoon of Fenel
• - 1/2 Teaspoon of Pepper
• - Chillies

Method..

• Cream half of the corn kernels.
• Put the creamed corn in to a bowl.
• Add spices, eggs, chives, corn kernels , Milk & flour.
• When you flour and milk do it little by litre to get the right consistency.
• Add salt and baking powder.
• You can leave the batter to rest 30 minutes to get maximum results.
• Add 1/2 cup oil in to a pan and spoon the batter in to hot oil.
• Cook the fritters both sides until golden brown.
• Serve with tomato sauce.

Coffee Streusel Slice (+playlist)

Coffee Streusel Slice

For the Base

•   125g of Butter

• - 1 Cup of Plain Flour

• - 1/4 Cup of Self Rasing Flour

• - 1/4 Cup of Sugar

For the Filling

• - 1 Can of Condensed Milk

• - 1/3 Cup of Walnuts

• - Vanilla

• - 30g of Butter

• - 3 Teaspoons of Coffee

For the topping

• - 1 Cup of Plain Flour

• - Cinnamon

• - 1/3 Cup of Brown Sugar

• - 125g of Butter

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180.
• First do the base. For that add butter and sugar in to a bowl and mix well.
• Then add the self raisngand plain flour and mix until crumbly.
• Prepare a 10x12 inch lamington pan and spread the mix  and bake on 180 about 10 min.
• For the filling mix all the ingredients and heat in microwave for two minutes or cook on the stove for two minutes.
• Take the baked base after 10 minutes  and pour the filling mix over the base.
• Then mix other ingredients for the topping.
• Sprinkle the crumbly mix over the filling  and bake on 180 about 20 min or until the top is golden brown
• Cool on wire racks.
• Cut in to a desired shape.
• Serve with a cup of coffee.

Kari Ayam (Indonesian Chicken & Potato Curry)

Kari Ayam (Malaysian /Indonesian Chicken & Potato Curry)

Ingredients

• - 500g of Chicken Thigh Fillets
• - 1 Teaspoon of Shrimp Paste
• - 1 Teaspoon of Sugar
• - 2 Large potatoes
• - Salt
• - 1 Tablespoon of Coriander
• - 1 Teaspoon of Tumeric Powder
• - 1 Teaspoon of Fenel Powder
• - 1 Teaspoon of Cumin Powder
• - Cinnamon
• - 1 Onion or Asian shallots
• - Cashew Nuts or candle nuts
• - Ginger
•   Lemon grass
•   5-10 Red chillies 
• Curry leaves
• 400 ml thick cocnut milk

Method

• Add chillies, onion, spices, cashews, ginger,salt,  shrimp paste and process until it becomes a smooth paste.
• Heat oil in a pan and add the cinnamon, lemon grass and curry leaves and fry until it releases the aroma.
• Then add the prepared paste and fry it  and add chicken in to it and fry several minutes.
• Then add coconut milk,
• Then add potatoes and cook until the sauce thickens.
• Serve with rice.

Jambalaya ( One pot rice dish) (+playlist)

Jambalaya - (One pot rice dish)

Ingredients

• 250 g Chicken
• 250 g Sausages
• 1 Tblsp Crushed garlic
• 1 Tblsp Oil
• 1 Tomato diced
• Capsicum diced
• 3 Cups Washed rice
• Bay leaves
• Fennel and cummin seeds.
• 1 Onion sliced
• Green Chillies (Optional)
• 6 Cups Stock water
• 1 Can diced tomatoes
• Salt 

Method

• Wash the rice.
• Add oil in to a pan fry fennel & cummin add bay leaves and onion and galic.
• Add chicken and sausages & brown the meat.
• Then add rice, green chillies, capsicum and tomatoes
• Add stock water and cook until the rice cooked.

Fish Pickle (Sri Lankan) (Maalu Achcharu)

Fish pickle is a famous dish in southern part of Sri Lanka.  It taste really nice and can serve it for any occation. Can use any kind of a fish to your tate.

Fish Pickle (Sri Lankan) (Maalu Achcharu)

Ingredients

•   Spanish Mackerel or any other fish to your taste
• - 4 Large Onions
• - 2-3 Sweet Capcicums
• - Salt
• - Pepper
• - 1/2 Tablespoon of Ginger
• -  1 Tblsp Ground Garlic
• - 1/2 Tablespoon of Coriander powder
• - 1/2 teaspoon of Fenel Powder
• - 1/2 Tablepoon of Cumin Powder
• - 1 Teapoon of Tumeric Powder
• 1-2 cups Vinegar
• 2-3 tblsp Ground mustard or mustard sauce.

Method 

• Marinate the spanish mackeral cubes with salt and pepper.
• Leave the pot of iol on the stove to be hot.
• Fry the fish untill golden brown.
• Add vinegar and all the spices in to a pot. 
• Cook until it reduces to half a cup.
• Add the onion and sweet capsicum and cook 1 minute.
• Then add the fish and cook another minute.
• Store in air tight containers.

Falafel With a yoghurt Dip. (+playlist)

Falafel is a middle eastern street food. Its totally vegetarian. Its a fried patty made of chick peas and broad beans. I omited broad beans and seasame to make it simple. Traditionally its served with wrapped in pita bread. This can be served as a snack or as a finger food. It tastes really nice. You can always adjust the recipe to your taste.

 Falafel with a Youghurt Dip

Ingredient

• 400g Chickpeas soaked and drained well on paper towels
• Fava beans   (Optional)
• 4-5 sprigs of corriander leaves
• 1/2 bunch Parsley
• 3 medium size onions
• 5 Cloves of Garlic
• 1 Tblsp corriander Powder
• 1 tblsp Cummin Powder.
• Salt
• Seasame seeds (Optional)
• Green chillies (Optional)
• Oil for deep frying.

Dip

• 3 Tblsp yoghurt
• Salt
• Crushed Garlic
• Lime juice

Method...

• Soak the chick pes overnight or 5-6 hours.
• Drain on paper towels.
• Grind the chick peas in a food processor untill crumbly.
• Add all the other ingredients and process until it forms a smooth paste.
• Make Balls and flatten them.
• Deep fry until golden brown.
• To make the dip mix all the ingredients.
• Serve the hot flafel with the dip on the side.
• 
  

Chocolate Velvet Cake

Chocolate Velvet Cake

Ingredients

• 125 g Butter
• 1 cup Brown Sugar
• 1/2 cup Caster Sugar
• 3 Eggs
• 2 Cups Plain flour
• 1 tsp Bi carb
• 1/2 cup Water
• 160g Thickened Cream
• 1/2 of a Lemon
• 60g Cocoa Powder

For the Chocolate Glaze

• 120g  Chocolate melts or cooking chocolate
• 1/2  Cup sour cream
• 1/2  Cup icing sugar
• 65 g  Butter

Method

• Prepare a 9X12 inch tray.
• Preheat your oven to 180.
• Beat the sugars and Butter.
• Add eggs and cocoa powder.
• While mixing add the cream and the water
• And scrape down the sides of the bowl while mixing.
• Next add flour and baking soda.
• Mix it well. But make sure you donot over mix.
• Spread on the prepared tray.
• Bake 40-50 min untill the skewer inserted comes out clean.
• Cool on a wire rack.
• Then on a pot of simmering water , In a bowl mix all the ingredients for the glaze.
• Melt and leave to cool 10 min. Then put in the fridge for 20 min until comes to a thick consistency.
• Spread on the cake.

Black Pepper Ckicken (Sri Lankan Style)

In Sri Lanka We cook chicken in many differant ways. This is  one way of doing it. This is a spicy and really aromatic dish. If you can use coconut oil it will infuse the flavours.
Using coconut milk in this recipe is optional. You can adjust the level of spices always to your tatse. I still remember how my grandmother used to grind the pepper to a smooth paste before she cook this. Then she marinate the chicken with the pepper paste and salt about and hour. We as kids found it fiery at that time. Now with the past memories I really enjoy the way of traditional cooking. :)

Black Pepper Chicken (Sri Lankan Style)

Ingredients

• 750g Chicken thigh fillets cut in to cubes or Chicken drumsticks
• 1 cup thick coconut milk (Optional)
• Tomatoes cut in to cubes
• 2 Onions sliced to large chunks
• 1 Onion finely sliced
• 2 Sweet capsicums
• 2 Green chilles
• 1 tblsp stock powder
• Salt
• Ginger and garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp Peppercorns
• 1 tblsp Pepper
• 1/2 tsp tumeric powder
• 1 tsp chillie powder
• 1/2 tblsp cumin powder
• 1 tblsp corriander powder
• Cloves
• Cardamoms
• 3 Sprigs curry leaves
• Cinnamon
• 2 tblsp oil

Method

• Add 2 tblsp oil in to a pan
• Add cardamon, cloves cinnamon and pepper corns and fry untill it releases the aroma.
• Add curry leaves ginger garlic paste and the onions and fry a minute.
• Add spices and fry few seconds.
• Then add chicken, green chilles, salt and tomatoes with the stock powder.
• Cook 15 min with out adding any water.
• Add coconut milk and cook 5 more min. If you like gravy switch off the stove or cook longer for a dry curry.
• Add onoin and sweet capsicums last min.
• Serve with rice.

Marshmallow Muffins

This recipe is exactly for 12 muffins. When you bake some times the marshmallows will spill. Dont worry. It sets later. If you can use higher muffin cases  it will look nicer and everything will remain in.

Marshmallow Muffins

Ingredients

280g Self raising flour
6tblsp Cocoa powder
85g marshmallows
85g Sugar
1 Egg
85g Butter
300ml Milk
1 tblsp Vanila
100g Chocolate chips or melts

Method

• Add sugar, butter, egg, cocoa in to a mixing bowl and mix
• Then add vanila and milk.
• Next add flour and mix well
• Take bowl out and mix marshmallow and chocolate chips.
• Fill 12 muffin holes.
• Bake 180 about 10 - 15 min.

Tuna & Vegetable Turnovers (+playlist)

These cute little spicy turnovers are a hit at my home with home made tomato sauce. When I am busy I like to cook something like this than hanging around the kitchen all the time. After coming home from work I cook the mix and fill pastry sheets and it takes less than 20 min. While in the oven you can relax having a cuppa watching television. As its a full meal with all the nutrients packed ina puf pastry , be hapy thinking that you did something nicer for the family dinner.

Tuna & Vegetable Turnovers

Ingredients

1 can of Tuna or 250 g fresh tuna

3 Cups of Spinach

1 Leek sliced

Some sliced mushrooms

pepper, corriander powder and chillie powder to your taste.

Salt

4 puff pastry sheets (thawed)

Method

1. Add oil in to a pan 
2. Cook onion and chillies (Chillies always optional)
3. Add spices. and tuna.
4. Then add the mushrooms and other vegetables .
5. If you find it dry add cream or coconut milk.
6. Cut the pastry sheets into four or cut in to circles.
7. Add the prepared mix in to the middle and turn over.
8. Press with a fork.
9. Bake in a moderate oven 180 about 15 -20 min.
10. Serve with tomato sauce.

Devils Food Cake (+playlist)

Recipe

Ingredients

185 g Butter

390 g Caster Sugar

3 Eggs

230 g Self Raising Flour

80 g Plain Flour

1/2 tsp Bi carb

1/2 tsp red food colouring

3 tsp granulated coffee

60 g Cocoa powder

1/2 cup of water

1/2 cup of Cream

For the Filling

300ml Cream

For the Chocolate Ganache

60 g Butter

60 g Chocolate melts

Method.

1. Cream butter and sugar.
2. Add eggs one by one and beat untill creamy.
3. Add flours, bicarb, coffee, cocoa and food colouring with cream and water.
4. Mix untill combines.
5. Do not over mix.
6. Bake 180 about 30 -40 min or untill a skewer comes out clean.
7. Let it cool.
8. Beat the cream untill thick.
9. Sandwich with cream.
10. Melt the chocolate and butter on a simming water in a saucepan.
11. Pour over the top. Let it set.
12. Enjoy with a cup of coffee.

Corn Milk Rice (+playlist)

Corn Milk Rice (Bada Iringu Kiribath)

In Sri Lanka Milk rice is a any time favourite and specially still you can see it on any table for special occations and events. Sri Lankans use to serve this with a spicy chillie salad. There are differant types of milk rice. This is one of them. To make it nutritious and colourful they add other grains in to it. Not only it gives a nice flavour also provides a balanced diet. If you are using a canned version of this corn mix it to the rice when adding coconut milk. But when you cook with the fresh its more nicer and its a less expensive delicious meal.

Recipe

4 cups of rice

8 cups of water

2 cups of thick coconut milk

Salt to your taste

2 large corn cobs

Method

1. Wash the rice.
2. Add the rice,salt and corn in to the pot.
3. Add 8 cups of water
4. cover and cook until it absorbs all the water
5. Then add the coconut milk and cook on very low heat untill it absorbs all the water.
6. Transfer to a tray.
7. Press the rice thoroughly.
8. Leave to cool down 15 min.
9. Cut in to desired size and shape.
10. Serve with chillie salad.

Cashew Nut Slice (Kaju Aluwa) (+playlist)

Sri Lankan Cashew nut Slice ( Kaju Aluwa)

This is a very famous Sri Lankan sweet. When we were kids we loved to watch how our grand mother preapre this for the Sinhala new yaer. We had to go to pick or collect the cashews  and bring them and dry them in sun several days. Cashew cells contains a sticky glue in its out side shell. If you touch it directly you get wounds as it burns your skin. So the easiest way we found was to set a small fire and throw the cashews in to that.After several minutes it starts burning the outer shell. You need to take them out in several minutes and clean them with out touching the skin. The final result is you get a nice roasted cashew. After collecting them my grand mother use to prepare them to a beautiful tasty slice. 

Recipe for making Aluwa.

600 g Roasted Rice Flour

600 g Sugar

2 cups Cashew nuts (Add less or more according to your taste)

1 tblsp vanilla

1/3 cup water (You can add up to 1 cup of water)

6 cardamom pods crushed and use powder,

Method.

• Add sugar and water with cardamon and vanila.
• Boil it untill sugar desolves.
• Take it out and let it cool down. 
• After 5 min add the rice flour little by little untill you get a stiff dough.
• Flour a board with roasted rice flour.
• quickly transfer that on to a prepared board  and leave to cool down for 5 mintues.
• Then cut it in to a desired shape.

Chicken Manchurian

Chicken Manchurian (Indo - Chinese Recipe)

This is a very tasty appetiser,  which is very popular all over the world. The chinese cooking techniques and Indian cooking style gives this dish a unique flavour. The fried chicken marinated in a spice blend or even in salt and pepper and coated with corn flour or plain flour or even in a batter gives a nice crispier  look as well as a crunchiness to this beautiful dish. Mixing it the last minute keep the crunchy bites in its shape.
Adding spices according to your taste with the garnishes will make this dish one of your favourite dishes.
This dish can be thickened using corn flour or several spoons full freshly grated coconut and cashew nuts, ground to a paste. The ground cashew coconut mix gives this dish a creamy nutty flavour as well as a rich look and a thickness. And it makes richer in taste as well as nutrients.

Recipe

700 g Boneless chicken cut in to small bite sized pieces.
1 1/2 cups of stock water
1 tsp chillie powder
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp sugar
3 tblsp soy sauce
ginger and garlic
2-3 green chillies
2 large onions sliced
1/2 cup corn flour
1cup plain flour
2-3 bay leaves
1/2 cup corriander leaves
1 cup spring onion leaves.

Method

1. Marinate the chicken witha desired spice mix or salt & pepper  for several hours.
2. Leave a pot of oil on the stove to be hot
3. coat the chicken with flour or make a batter and dip it in.
4. Deep fry the chicken untill golden brown.
5. In a seperate pot add a little oil and fry the onion garlic ginger and bay leaves.
6. Then add half of the corriander and spring onion leaves, green chillies and add spices.
7. Cook that several minutes and add stock water
8. After cooking several minutes add corn flour dissolved in 3 tblsp water. When it start thickening add fried chicken and mix
9. Serve hot.

Snow Pudding

Snow Pudding

This is a nice and a easy idea of making a dessert. This is a very light dessert that can easily make and serve with cream or ice cream. Can make this pudding a day or two a head. This Can be kept in the fridge for 2-3 days.

Recipe 

Ingredients

500ml or 2 cups of milk

1tblsp gelatine powder.

200g sugar

1 1/2 tblsp corn flour

1tblsp vanila

3 eggs seperated

Method

1. Add the sugar in to the egg yolks with a table spoon of vanila and cream it.
2. Beat the egg whites to the soft peak.
3. In a pot add milk and in to the milk add a tablespoon ful gelatine powder and let it soak.
4. Then mix it and add corn flour and cook it until thickens and add the sugar and  egg yolk mixture and cook untill thickens  and leave it to cool down.
5. Fold the egg whites and the custatd and put it in to moulds.
6. Refrigerate several hours or over night to get maximum results.

Vegetable Buns

Vegetable Buns

Ingredients

For the Dough

700 g Bread Flour
300 ml Warm milk
50g Sugar
1 tsp Salt
2 Eggs
50 g Butter
16 g Instant dry yeast
4 tsp Bread improver

Method

1. Add the warm milk in to the mixing bowl.
2. Add the yeast and the sugar in to the warm milk and mix it and leave to activate.
3. Add the flour , the eggs,salt , the bread improver,& the Butter.
4. knead it 15 min and put in a greased bowl and cover it witha wet cloth and leave in a warm place.

You dont need to add all these vegetables. Add what you have in the fridge. 

For the filling

Ingredients....

Cabbage

Fresh Spinach

capsicum

Chick peas

Green Peas

Tomato

Onion

Potato

Carrot

Leeks

Button Mushrooms

Green and red chillies (Optional)

Mustard seeds

Fenugreek seeds

Tumeric powder

Curry powder

Chillie powder 

Pepper

Method

Cook all the vegetables in to a vege mix. Add spices and leave to cool down to fill the buns.

After the dough is double in size, punch it down and cut in to equal size portions. Then take one and roll it to a circle. Put the filling in to the middle and gather ends together and make balls and leave on a prepared try to double in size again. Bake it 180 about 30 -40 min. Serve hot with tomato sauce.

Chicken & Vegetable Vol-au - vents

Chicken & Vegetable Vol-Au-Vents

Vol-au-vents is a french word to describe how light this pastry when made. This is made of puff pastry.  Its a hollow case of puff pastry. After cutting circles out from the puff pastry cut rings out of the pastry and stack them together and bake them. This is very famous for savoury  fillings. After filling the bake untill golden brown. It make nice pretty meal.

Ingredients

300g Diced Chicken Thighs

Salt and pepper

Leeks , Carrot and capsicum

Onion choppped

1/2 cup of cheese

For the white sauce.

20g butter

1 tsp vegetable stock

2 bay leaves

pinch of nutmeg

a table spoon of flour

2 tblsp white wine

a cup of milk

Method for white sauce

Add butter in to a pan and melt the butter and cook the flour and add milk. Into that add bayleaves and stock powder with nutmeg. Cook untill it becomes a thick sauce.

Method for the chicke and vegetable mix

Add oil and fry onion and add chicken and coo it. When the chicken is half cooked add the vegetables, spices. Cook it several minutes.

To Fill the vol-au vents

Add the chicken in to the white sauce and mix well. Fill that mix in to the vol-au-vent cases and add cheese on top. And bake on 160 about 15-20 min. 

Savoury Lentils (Parippu Mirisata)

This lentil curry is really goes well with roti or bread as well as rice. I really like to dip my bread in this spicy curry. You can make this curry with gravy or as a dry curry. If you cook this with coconut milk it gives an aroma as well as a taste.

Savoury Lentils (Parippu Mirisata)

Ingredients

• 3 cups soaked lentils
• Enough water to cook the lentils
• Green Chillies
• 1 tblsp Mustard seeds
• 6-7 cloves of garlic
• Curry leaves
• Salt
• 1 large onion
• Curry powder
• Tumeric powder
• Chillie powder
• 1 inch Cinnamon

Method

• Wash the lentills
• Add oil to a pan.
• Fry mustard seeds ,garlic, cinnamon, curry leaves and onions
• Add Spices and water. Now in to the pot add lentils and fresh chillies. 
• Cook several minutes and add salt.

Egg Drop Soup

Egg Drop Soup

Ingredients

• 500 ml of stock water
• 1 1/2 liters of water
• 250 g Rice noodles
• 4 Eggs
• 3 Chicken breasts
• 3 tblsp light soy sauce
• 3 tcloves  crushed garlic
• 1/4 cup Corriander leaves
• 1 cup Spring onions
• 2 tsp freshly grated ginger

Method.

• Add the stock water and the water to a pot.
• Add ginger , soy sauce, garlic and chinese cooking wine in to the pot.
• In to that add the chicken breasts.
• Bring it to boil and cook it on simmering  about 15 min.
• Soak the rice vermecilli in cold or hot water.
• Divide them in bowls when ready.
• Take the cooked chicken out and shred it using a fork.
• Beat the eggs and pour in to the soup while mixing.
• Add the chicken.
• Pour on to the noodles.

Easter Cup Cakes/Muffins (+playlist)

Easter Cup Cakes /Muffins

Ingredients

• 225 g Self raising Flour
• 250 ml Butter Milk
• 85g Butter
• 85g Cocoa Powder
• 2 Eggs
• Salt
• 115g Brown Sugar

Icing

• Easter Eggs for filling
• 85 g Butter
• 175 g Icing Sugar
• 1 Tblsp Milk

Method

• Add butter ,Sugar, And cocoa powder in to a mixing bowl and mix it.
• While mixing add the eggs and milk.
• Then add the self raising flour.
• Then pour the mix in to jug or a cup cake dispenser and fill the holes with equal amounts.
• Bake 180.
• For the icing add butter , icing sugar and milk and mix . Put it in to a piping bag with a star nozzle.
• Pipe on to cooled cupcakes  like nest. Fill the eggs in the middle.