The culinary corner

Spicy Mango Curry (Sri Lankan Style) Ingrediens Green or half riped mango Onion Galic Chillies Maldive fish Flakes Coconut Milk Cinnamon Water Pandan Leaves Curry leaves Fenugreek seeds Curry Powder Pepper Roasted Curry Powder Chillie Powder Oil for tempering Sugar Salt For tempering the Mangoes Mustard Seeds Chillies Garlic Onions Pandan Leaves Curry Leaves Cinnamon Method. Cut the mangoes to a desired size Leaving the spices for tempering & Coonut milk add all the other ingredients to a pot. Cook that until the mangoes are soft. Add coconut milk. Check the salt and sugar level. Balance the acidity add enough sugar to the curry. Transfer that to a bowl. Next add oil in to the same pan. Add mustard seeds. When it starts spluttering add the rest of the ingredients and cook untill golden brown stiring frequently. Transfer the cooked mangoes in to the pot and cook about a minute. Enjoy with rice or any bread.

Pumpkin & Feta Pizza Ingredients 400g Plain Flour 7g Yeast 1 Tblsp Sugar 1 cup Warm water Tomatao sauce Pizza Fetta cheese Pumpkin slices Olive oil Salt and pepper Method Mix first four ingredients & leave to prove Grill the pumpkin.  Roll the dough to a circle. Add tomato sauce and olive oil to the base first. Next add pumpkin and feta. Bake on 180 about 20 min.

These pancakes are really quick & easy to make and its a full meal if you are a busy person. It takes only 5-10 min to prep and takes few minutes to cook.  You can serve this with a chutney or can eat as it is. If you want to do it at night you can always make the batter in the mornig or even a day ahead and use it when you want. Potato & Vegetable Pancakes Ingredients Peeled potatoes Leeks Eggs Salt & Pepper Milk Chilles Cheese Flour Method Grate the potatoes as fine as you can. Add all the other ingredients. Make a smooth batter. Pour on to a greased pan. Cook them until golden brown on both sides. Rest them on wire racks, Serve with a cutney.

Creamy Snapper Curry Ingredients 1 Whole snapper Onion Garlic Salt & Pepper 1 Tsp Tomato Paste Curry Leaves Fenugreek Seeds Cinnamon Green Chillies Coconut milk Chillie Powder Curry Powder Tumeric powder Oil Method Add Oil in to a pan. Add garlic,fenugreek seeds,curry leaves and cinnamon  and fry several minutes. Next add onions and spices. After add fish and mix well adding water. After add enough salt and coconut milk.

These buns can be made several days ahead for kids lunch boxes or can freeze to reheat when needed. Spring Onion and cheese Bread Rolls Ingredients 425 g Bread Flour 170ml Milk 20g  Butter 4 g Salt 12g Yeast 15g Sugar 11/2 Eggs Mozzarella or any othe r cheese to your choice 1 Bunch Spring Onions finely sliced Method Add sugar and the yeast in to the warm milk and leave to activate several minutes. Add flour and salt in to a mixing bowl adding butter and eggs Next add yeast little by little and knead until it forms a nice soft dough. (about 10-15 min) Put that in to a greased bowl and leave in a warm place to double in size. After take out and put that on to a floured bench top and divide in to 9 equal size portions. Roll them to a rectangle. Put spring onions and cheese in to the middle and roll to a log shape and secure the edges. Brush the tops with eggs and sprinkle spring onions and cheese. Bake on 180c about 25-30 min.

Vegetable & Egg Fry Ingredients Diced Potatoes Diced Zuchchini 1 Cup Celery 1 Onion 1 Carrot Chillies ( Optional) Salt Pepper Eggs Garlic Method Fry onion garlic and add vegetables.  Cook the veggies several minutes. Add salt & pepper. Add eggs. Cover and cook several min. After leave to rest and cut in to slices.

Flat Beans Curry Ingredients 300g Flat beans or green beans MAldive fish flakes Salt 1 Tsp Curry powder 1/4/tsp Tumeric powder 1/2 tsp chillie powder Curry leaves Fenugreek seeds Cinnamon Green chillies 1 Onion 180 ml Coconut milk. Method Add oil in to a pan and add curry leaves, cinnamon and fenugreek seeds. Next add onions.  Then add beans adding maldive fish flakes and spices. Cook several minutes checking for enough liquid to cook. After add coconut milk. Cook several minutes. Serve hot with rice.

Two Tone Bread (White & Chococlate) (super soft) Ingredients 260g of Bread Flour 25g of Milk Powder 1 Egg 7G of Yeast 25g of Butter 25g of Caster Sugar 2 Tablespoons of Cocoa Powder Salt Warm Water Method Add yeast and sugar in to the warm water and let it activate. After add flour ,milk powder, butter, egg and salt in to the mixing bowl and mix well. Next add the yeast mix little by little and make a smooth soft dough kneading 10-15 min. Divide the dough in three equal parts and leave two parts together as white in a greased bowl and take one part and mix chocolate powder and mix well. ( add a table spoon milk to make it sooth.) Next Cover both and leave in a warm place to double in size. After take each dough and roll to rectangles and put them to over lap. Then roll the dough to the other end.  Hde  both ends under the roll and leave to prove in a greased loaf pan. When it is double in size egg wash and bake on 180 c about 30 min. (To ch...

Horse gram or kollu is a legume that people are not interested in. But it has lots of aurvedic values. My grandmother was a very healthy person until the day she passed away. She used to drink the water of horse gram every week. I read several articles about horse gram and found out that it is really good for kidneys and diebetics. Horse gram wade (Kollu wade) Ingredients  1 1/2 Cups of Horsegram(Kollu) (Soaked overnight) - 1 Tablespoon of Maldive Fish Flakes - Chillies - Curry Leaves or Parsley - 1 Onion - 1 Teaspoon of Chillie Flakes - 1 Teaspoon of Coriander Powder - 1 Teaspoon of Salt Method Soak the horse gram overnight and process in a grinder or food processer. Add all the ingredients and make balls or flat wadas.( Add a bit flour if needed) Deep fry until golden brown.

Potato & Leek Bake (Easy Meals) Ingredients - 4 Large Potatoes - 200ml of Sour Cream - Salt - 2 Large Leeks - Garlic - Stock Cube - 1 Cup of Cheese - Pepper Method Boil potatoes peel & cut in to cubes. Add oil in to a pan and fry garlic. Next add leeks, stock cubes and season with salt & pepper. Add potatoes and mix well. Put the mix in to a tray and sprinkle with cheese and bake on 180c about 20-30 min.  Serve hot with ceusty bread or as it is,

Risoni With Chicken & Vegetables Ingredients - Risoni - Leek - 1 Tomato - 1 Tablespoon of Tomato Paste - Green Chillies - Carrot - 1 Onion - 400g of Diced Chicken - 1 1/2 cups of Stock Water - Oil - Salt - Pepper Method Boil Pasta. Add oil in to a pan and add onion & garlic & chillies. Cook several min. Add chicken, salt & pepper  and cook several min. Next add chicken stock, tomatoes and tomato paste. Add carrot and then add leeks. Next add pasta and and mix well Serve hot.

Hot Buttered Calamari ( Cuttle fish/ Squid) ( Rsetaurant Style) Ingredients 500g of Cuttlefish  - 1 Cup of Cashew nuts - Garlic - Red Chillies - Salt - Pepper - 50g of Butter - Spring Onions - Polenta - 1 Teaspoon of Sugar - 1 Teaspoon of Chillie Powder - 1 Egg Method Wash ,clean and cut calamari as instructed. Season with salt pepper and add the egg and mix well. Add polenta or semolina and coat the calamari and deep fry until golden brown. Fry cashews and chillies after. Add butter in to a pan fry garlic and add sugar achillie powder and spring onions. Next add the calamari, cashew and chillies  Mix and serve hot,

Poached Chicken with vegetables & Noodles. Ingredients.. To poach the chicken - 1 Whole Chicken  - 1/2 of a Leek - 1 Onion - Celery  - 1 Carrot - 10 Cups of Water - Thyme - Parsley - Bay Leaves For the soup. Poached and shredded chicken Carrot Potatoes Tomatoes Cerely cabbage Leeks Chillies (Optional) Stock water from the poached chicken (Remove all impurities and Oil) A bunch of bok choy or kale or spinach. Salt and pepper. Method Poach the chicken using all the ingredients in first list and then discard the veggies and remove all the impurities. Add the second lot of veggies from hard to soft . Boil noodles and divide in to bowls. Add the chicken and vege broth. Top with chicken and serve hot.

Kale is a super food. Try this way. It tastes yummy. You will not stop eating kale after. Kale with Coconut Ingredients - 1 Bunch of Kale - Olive Oil - Salt - Pepper - Fresh Coconut - Chillies - 1 Onion Method Clean and cut kale in to the desired size. Heat oil in a pan. Add onion and chillies. Cook several minutes. Add the kale and stir adding coconut and mix well. Add lime or lemon juice. Serve hot with rice.

English muffins with Bacon and Eggs (Quick & Easy Meals) Ingredients - English Muffins - Butter - 3 Eggs - Bacon - Tomaotes - Cheese Onion ( optional) Mayonnaise (Optional) Method Cut the muffins in to two halves and toast and butter them. In another pot fry bacon until golden brown. Make omlettes. Pack the muffins with bacon, tomato, and egg with cheese, Press. and serve hot.

Chicken ,Pineapple & Spinach stirfry Ingredients 300g Chicken breast fillets 1 packet Hokkien noodles 120g spinach Sesame seeds 1 can pineapple 1 Capcicum Chillies Carrot 1/2 tsp Ginger 2 tsp Garlic 2 Tblsp soy sauce Oyster sauce oil Method Add oil in to a pan and fry onion garlic and ginger. Add chicken soy sauce and Pineapple juice Next add veggies from hard to soft & Noodles lastly add  Spinach and sesame seeds. Serve hot.

Mixed Vegetable Couscous Ingredients - 2 Cups of Couscous - 2 Cups of Water - Olive Oil - Salt - Pepper - 1 Leek - 1/2 of a Carrot - Capsicum - Tomatoes - Garlic - Onion - 2 Stock Cubes - Chillies - Beans Method Boil water adding salt and oil. Switch off and add couscous. Leave covered. In a another pot add oil and cook onion and garlic. Next add chillies and beans and cook that about 2 minutes. After add stock cubes and mix well and add beans. Next add carrots. Add cabbage after and cook few seconds. Next add sundried tomatoes and add the capsicums. Cook few seconds and add enough salt and pepper. Mix couscous and serve hot.

Dundee Cake Ingredients - 230g of Plain Flour - 80g of Self Raising Flour - 180g of Caster Sugar - 2 Tablespoons of Brandy - 1 Teaspoon of Allspice - 200g of Raisings - 5 Eggs - 50ml of Milk - 100g of blanched Almonds - 100g of Glazed Cherries - Mixed Peel - 200g of Sultana - 260g of Currents - 180g of Butter Method Preheat oven to 150c. Line a 8 or 9 inch baking tray with 3 layers of baking paper. Cream butter & sugar in a mixing bowl. Add Eggs one by one. Mix until pale in colour. Next add flours. Then mix fruit and finally put that to baking tray and arrange almonds. Bake for 2 1/2 - 3 hours. Cool on wire racks. Can freeze up to 3 months.

Mini Pizza (Party or Finger food) Ingredients For the pizza dough - 480g of Bread Flour - 2 Tablespoons of Yeast - 2 Tablespoon of Sugar - Warm Water - Salt  - Olive Oil For the filling Pizza sauce Capsicu (Roasted) Sliced meat Olives Pineapple Ham Any veggie or meat to your taste. Method Make the pizza dough according to the video. After roll the dough and cut in to 2 inch circles. Apply olive oil on each base. Then the pizza sauce and filling  as you wish. Top up with cheese. Bake 180 about 20 -30 min untill the base is crispy and cheese is golden. Serve hot or leave on racks to cool.

Mixed SeaFood and Vegetable Rice Noodles Ingredients - 500g of Rice Noodles - Mixed Vegetables - Marinara Mix (Mixed Seafood) - Olive Oil - 1 Teaspoon of Shrimp Paste - Light/Dark Soy Sauce - Oyster Sauce - Fish Sauce - Red Chillies - Lime Juice - Garlic - Ginger  - Salt Method. Add oil in to a pan and fry shrimp paste and ginger garlic pate. Next add onions and cook until the onions are softer. next celery and then the vegetables. After add seafood with sauces. Cook 3-4 min. Then add lime or lemon juice and serve on hot noodles.

Chicken Stew (Sri Lankan Style) Ingredients - 1 Whole Chicken - 2 Tomatoes - Garlic - Ginger - Vinegar - 2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil - Cloves - Cardamom - Salt - Pepper - Carrots - Onions - Chillies - 2 Capsicums - 1 Stock Cube  - Cinnamon - Pundan Leaves - Curry Leaves - Water Method Cut the chicken in to large chunks. Add oil in to a pan and add aromatic spices a, cook several min.  Next add chicken & cook 5 min. After add potatoes and onion then some water and cook several min. Next carrots and later capsicum and pepper. Leave a bit gravy to serve. Serve with crusty bread.

Roasted Mung Beans  ( Badapu Mun ata) Curry Ingredients - 150g Mung Beans - 1/2 Teaspoon of Chillie Powder - 1 Teaspoon of Curry Powder - Tumeric Powder - Garlic - Pundan Leaves - Chillies - Curry Leaves - Cinnamon - 1 Cup of Coconut Milk Method Dry roast the mung beans. Soak over night or wash and add water to cook. Put it on the stove and boil it 5 min. Then add spices and cook until the beans are tender. Next add coconut milk and salt. cook several min or until it boils. Serve hot with rice.

Pizza Scrolls (Party Food / Finger Food) Ingredients For the pizza dough - 480g of Bread Flour - 2 Tablespoons of Yeast - 2 Tablespoons of Sugar - Warm Water - 4 Tablespoons of Olive oil For the filling Pizza sauce Cheese Capsicum Olives Sausages Any other vegetable or meat to your liking Method Mix everything together for the dough and leave to double in size. Then roll the dough in to a rectangle. Apply oil and tomato sauce. Next add filling to your liking with a layer of cheese. Roll the dough toa log. Cut thin slices and lay them on a baking tray. Bake 180c about 20 min. Serve hot from the oven or cool on wire racks.

Home made Tomato suace for Pizza or Pasta Ingredients - Tomatoes - Chillie Powder - 1 Tablespoon of Garlic - 1 Tablespoon Oregano - 1 Tablespoon Basil  - Sugar - Salt Method Add all the ingredients in to a pot. Cook on low heat until it thickens. Blend it and store in fridge in air tight jar.

Chicken & Mushroom English Muffins Ingredients - English Muffins - 1 Onion - 250g of Chicken - 1 Can of Mushrooms - 1 1/2 Cups of Cheese - 1/4 Cup of Plain Flour - Leeks - 3 Eggs - Roasted Capsicums - Margarine - Milk - Salt - Pepper Method Heat oil in a pan and add chicken. Next add spices, mushroom and leeks. Take it off heat and add a bit flour and mix.  Next add eggs and mix well with out letting them scramble. Add a table spoon milk and cheese. Next add more flour if the mix is runny. Put them on buttered muffins and bake 20 min or more on 180c. Serve hot.

Dates & yoghurt Loaf Ingredients - 2 1/2 Cups of Dates - 2 Cups of Self Raising Flour - 1 cup of Yogurt - 95g of Butter - 1 Cup of Orange Juice - 2 Eggs - 165g of Caster Sugar Method. Preheat oven to 180c. Spray or butter or line a load pan. Cream butter & Sugar. Add flour and yoghurt next. While mixing add dates. Next add orange juice little by little. ( if you have added large eggs it will be too much.) until like a cke batter. Bake about 45 min to 1 hour. Cool on a wire rack. Can freeze this up to 3 months. (Sliced wrapped individually or as a whole)

Thai Eggplants Curry with Garlic (Thalana batu Curry) Ingredients - 250g of Thai Eggplants - 100g of Garlic - Onion - Curry Leaves - Pundan Leaves - Cinnamon - Maldive Fish Flakes - Fenugreek Seeds - 1/2 Cup of Coconut Milk - 1/2 Cup of Water - Tumeric Powder - Chillie Powder - 1 Teaspoon of Curry Powder Method. Add all the ingredients  in to a pot except the coconut milk. Cook several min and add coconut milk. Serve hot with rice.

Pan Fried Chicken Liver Ingrediens - 500g of Chicken Liver - 1 Onion - 4 Cloves of Garlic - Red Chillies - Salt - 1/2 Teaspoon of Pepper - 1 Teaspoon of Chillie Powder - Pundan Leaves - Curry Leaves - Stock Cube  - 1 Tomato - Oil Pepper Chillie powder Method Add a tablespoon or two oil in to a pan. Add pandan leaves curry leaves and salt. Then add chicken live and cook several min. Next add all the other ingredients and cook until there is no gravy. Serve hot with rice or flat bread or any kind of a bread.

Polenta Triangles with Spicy Tomato Relish. Ingredients - 100g of Polenta - 600ml of Milk - 1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil - 35g of Butter - 200g of Diced Tomatoes - 1 Onion - Chillies - 1 1/2 Tablespoons of Red Wine Vinegar - 1 Tablespoon of Sugar - 2 Teaspoon of Chillie Powder Method Boil milk & add olive oil and butter Then rain polenta into mix while stirring. Cook until thick and spread on a baking tray and leave to cool at least 2 hours or over night in a fridge. After cut that in to triangles. And spread on baking trays and bake 20 min on 180- 200c. Fry onion in a little oil and add other ingredients and cook several minutes. Put it in to a bowl and arange baked or grilled polenta on a plate with relish to serve.

Pita Breads with Cottage Cheese & Spinach Ingredients - Pita Bread - 2 Onions - Spinach - 1 Cup of Bacon - 3 Eggs - Green Chillies - Pepper - Chillie Flakes - Salt - Cottage Cheese Method Steam or blanch the spinach & and squeeze excess water  or thaw and squeeze frozen spinach. Make an opening in each pita bread. Preheat oven or sandwich press. Mix all the ingredients & fill the pockets. Bake 10 min oven or 3 min in sandwich press. Enjoy hot.

Quick & Easy Apple Pie Ingredients Sweetened short crust pastry 1 Can Apple  Brown sugar to your taste. Method Spray a pie dish and arrange the pastry. Mix apple and brown sugar together. Add the mix in to the pie dish. Cover with the other sheet of pastry. Prick with a frok Sprinkle brown sugar on top. Bake on 180 about 20 min or until the pastry is golden brown and sugar is crispy on top. Serve with custad, cream or ice cream.