The culinary corner

Soft moist Cake Bread (Bakery Style) Ingredients 150g bread flour + 50g plain flour 40g Sugar 3g Salt 10g Milk Powder 5g yeast 39g Eggs 30g Butter 75 ml water or Milk For the roux....... 50g Bread flour 35 ml Boiling water For the Cake Batter 65g Sugar 65g Self-raising flour 11/2 Eggs 5g Coconut milk powder Drop of pink or red or any other food colouring 30g Butter (Softened) 20ml Water Method Make the roux adding the boiling water in to the flour and leave in the fridge for several hours or overnight. For the dough mix bread flour,plain flour with sugar,the prepared dough  yeast and mix well. Next add egg salt and the water or the milk and knead 5 min. Next add the butter and continue kneading 10 more min. Leave the prepared dough in a greased bowl and let it rise for 40-50 min, Take the dough out and roll as instructed in the video. Leave in a warm place in a loaf pan to double in size. Next make the cake batter addi...

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cup cakes Ingredients For the cookie dough 45g Self Raising flour (Or 45g plain flour + 1/2 tsp baking powder) Pinch of salt 30g Butter 40 g Sugar 1 Egg yolk 75g g Mini chocolate chips Vanilla For the cup cake Batter 115g Self raising flour Pinch of Salt 65g Butter 1 Egg 1/2 Tsp vanilla 65 ml Milk 75g Sugar Method Prepare the cookie dough adding all the ingredients and make balls and leave in fridge to set several hours. After make the cupcake batter as instructed in the video and put one spoon in to a patty pan and then put the cookie dough and cover with a another spoonful of batter. Do not  cover to the top. bake 20 min. Don't over cook. If you find them like wet in middle after several min. The chocolate in the middle makes them like uncooked. But it will be alright after. Do chocolate or vanilla icing to make them pretty on the plate. (Trust me the kids finish this in a minute)

Chicken, Chickpea, & Broccoli Pilaf Ingredients 300g chicken diced 1 onion diced 1 Tblsp Garlic 1 Cup chopped Coriander leaves 1 can chickpeas 1/2 cup cashew 1 cup Broccoli 1 tsp Chile powder (optional) 1 Tblsp Cumin and coriander pwder 3-4 cups cooked rice Salt & pepper Method Add some oil in to a pan cook onion and garlic. Next add chicken and green chillies and spices.Cook 20 min. Next add chick pea, coriander, and cooked rice mix well. Serve with a chutney.

Tip............ When you bake take out in less than 10 min and leave on the tray 5 min before transferring on to wire racks.... Chocolate Crinkle cookies Ingredients 1/4 cup cocoa 1/2 cup sugar 30 ml oil 1 Egg 1/2 Tsp vanilla 1/2 Baking powder A pinch Salt 1/4 cup Icing sugar 1/2 Cup Plain flour Method Add cocoa, sugar, vegetable oil and the egg and mix well. After add salt, baking powder, vanilla and mix another min. Next add plain flour and mix well. Put  the mix in fridge about 5-6 hours. Later make balls and dip in icing sugar. Lay them on baking trays.  Bake on 180c about 10 min. Put them on wire racks to cool before storing.

You can add salad dressing or chillies, cheese , spring onions with bacon to this recipe..... Crushed Bacon Bread Rolls. Ingredients. Crushed Bacon 315g Bread flour 100g Plain (All purpose) flour 50g Butter 4g Salt 1Tblsp Sugar 190ml warm water 1 Egg 6g Instant dry yeast Method Add flours, egg, sugar  and yeast first in to a mixing bowl and mix well. Next add salt and the warm water and keep on kneading 5 min. Add butter and knead another 10 min. After put that in to a greased bowl and leave in a warm place until double in size. After put flour on to the bench and divide the dough in to equal size portions. Roll the dough as instructed in the video and leave on baking trays to double in size again. After brush the tops with eggs and bake on 180c about 15-20 min.

Salmon & Vegetable Pasta Bake ( Quick & Easy Meals) Ingredients 2 cups blanched broccoli 1 bunch spring onions  250g boiled and flaked fresh salmon Onion & garlic 1 cup cheese Salt & pepper 50g plain flour 2 Cups boiled paster 2 green chillies 1 Tblsp butter or margarine 1 Cup milk Method Cook onion and garlic first in a bit of butter or margarine until tender. Next add green chillies and spring onions, salt and pepper. cook 30 seconds. Add flour next and cook 1 min. After add milk and cook until it starts thickening. Next add the rest except cheese. Transfer to an oven proof dish. Sprinkle cheese on top. Bake on 180c about 20 min.

Potato & Sultana Buns (Simple Baking) Ingredients 400g Bread flour 50g Caster sugar 6g Salt 6g Yeast 35g Milk 100g Mashed Potatoes 190ml Cold Water 1 Egg 60g Margarine 150g Sultana 200ml Milk 75g Instant custard powder Method.. Add flour, milk powder, yeast, sugar and salt and mix well.  Add the egg, mashed potatoes,water and make a smooth dough. Add margarine and keep on kneading for 15 min. Put the dough in to a greased bowl to double in size. Add milk and custard together and cook on low heat to consistency you can pipe. Add flour on to the bench and knead the dough adding sultana. you can do this as the final step when mixing in the machine. Cut the dough in to equal size portions and then bake balls. Leave them on baking trays to prove. Brush the tops with eggs. Pipe the custard and bake on 180c about 20-30 min. Can freeze these buns up to a month or two.

Tip................. Steam the pudding on a very low flame to get a well done pudding. Caramel Pudding (Steamed Creme Caramel) Ingredients 600ml Milk 6 Eggs (If you are using small add seven eggs) 150g Sugar 1 Tsp Vanilla For the Caramel 100g Sugar 1/2 Tsp vinegar 1-2 Tblsp water Method  Put the caramel ingredients in to a pot. Stir once and then leave the sugar to get caramelised. (It will start browning from the edges, don't stir) After pour the caramel in prepared dishes. Next mix eggs and milk with vanilla and pour on to the caramel and cover. Steam on a low flame about an hour to get it done well. Leave to cool. 

Barley Bread From Scratch (Simple Baking) Ingredients 250g Bread flour 50g Barley flour 150ml Warm water 30ml Corn oil 25g  Sugar 5 Salt 2g Bread improver 4g Yeast Method Add barley powder, bread flour, bread improver, sugar, yeast and salt in to a mixing bowl. Next add water little by little and later add oil and keep on kneading about 15 min. Leave it to prove in a greased bowl until double in size. Next add flour on bench top and roll the dough  and then roll to a log as instructed in the video. Leave to double in size, brush the top with eggs or milk and bake 170c about 20-30 min. or until it gives a hollow sound when tap on the top.

Baked Jaggerry & Coconut Custard (Baked Watalappan) Ingredients 250g Jaggery 60ml Water 6 Eggs 200ml Thick coconut cream 1/2 tsp Nutmeg 1/2cupSultana 1/2 Cup Cashews Method Add the water to the jaggery and bring it to boil and stir till it dissolves the jaggery. Next Mix eggs with coconut cream and nut meg. Add the jaggery in to the eggs. (Careful not to add the hot jaggery. It will cook the eggs) Next add sultana and cashews. Next pour in to the dishes or a pudding bowl. Add water to a large tray and put the individual dishes in it.) (Watch Video) Bake 180c About 45 -50 min. Serve hot or put in the fridge.

Kampung Style Fried Rice (Quick & Easy Meals) Ingredients 5 Cups Cooked Rice 4 Eggs 2 Tblsp Fish sauce Garlic 1 Cup dried Anchovies (Deep fried) 1 large onion Finely sliced Birds eye chillies Kang kung  1 Cup snake beans or green beans 1/4 cup light + dark soy sauce Salt & pepper Any cooked meat or prawns Method Deep fry the anchovies until crispy. Add a bit of oil in to a wok. Add garlic , onion ,chillies, beans and fry several min. Add rice , fish sauce , and soy sauce and eggs and let it cook slowly. Add greens and add some fried anchovies. Serve hot. Sprinkle more anchovies on top.

Chives & Cheese Bread Rolls (Simple Baking) Ingredients 400g Bread flour 6g Salt 1 Egg 7g Yeast 25g Sugar 200ml Warm Milk 40g Butter For the filling Mayonnaise or Salad Dressing Fresh or Dry chive or any other herb Mozzarella cheese Method Add the flour, yeast, sugar, egg and mix well.  Next add  salt and the milk. Knead 5 min. Add the butter and keep on kneading about 10 min. Put the prepared dough in to a greased bowl and leave to double in size again. After cut the dough in to equal size portions and make balls. Then roll to a oval shape and roll as instructed in the video. Leave on trays until double in size. When its double add mayo, chives and cheese on top.  Bake 180 about 20-25 min.

Vegetable Pasties ( Finger Food/Party Food) Ingredients For the pastry 250g plain flour 115g chilled butter 60ml chilled water For The filling 1/2 cup Celery 1/2 cup leeks 1/2 cup carrot 1 cup boiled Potatoes 2 Tblsp Green chillies Salt & pepper 1 Tomato chopped several curry leaves 1Tblsp Chopped garlic 2 Onions chopped 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder 1Tsp Chilli Powder 1 Tblsp Coriander+cumin powder 1 Stock cube (Optional) 1 Tblsp oil Method First pulse butter, with flour and water and make the pastry, glad wrap and leave in fridge at least 15 minutes. Prepare the filling by adding a bit of oil in to a pan. Fry onions, garlic, curry leaves, onions and tomatoes. Add spices and the veggies and cook as described in the video.Leave to cool completely. Next put some flour on to the bench and put the dough and dust the top with flour and roll to 1-2cm thick. Cut rounds. Fill the middle with the vegetable mix. Use a fork to seal the edg...

This is a very famous Sri Lankan sweet that every one like to eat. It sounds difficult. But really easy to make. We spend so much money to buy them as its a very expensive sweet too. When you fry them fry several days before and fry for the second time to get the soft aasmis. If you fry once only it will be a bit harder. So make sure you fry them when you have time and fry for the second time before using too.  Aasmi (A famous Sri Lankan Sweet) Ingredients 500g Rice flour 2-3 cups thick coconut milk Davul kurundu (Hand full) or okra juice (Use 500g okra) Coconut oil for frying 250g sugar 1/4 cup water Food colouring Method Add thick coconut milk in to the rice flour and make a thick batter. Next add okra juice and mix well. Use your fingers to feel the consistency. The mixture consistency should be a continuous flow when you do them. (Please watch the video) When the oil is hot use your fingers to make aasmi. Next over lap them soon bef...

Rich & Moist Date Cake Ingredients 600g Dates 160ml Cold water 2 Eggs 1 Tsp Vanilla 11/2 Cups self raising flour 1 tsp bicarb 100g Brown sugar 125g Butter Method Add dates, water and brown sugar in to a pot and bring it to the boil. Take out and add butter and bicarb and mix well. Leave to cool. Next add eggs into a mixing bowl and beat well. Next add the flour and dates and mix well. Pour the mixture in to a 9x9 inch baking tray and bake on 180c  about 45 min. Leave on wire racks to cool completely. You can freeze this cake too.

Red Bean Buns  Ingredients 250g bread flour 70ml water 1 egg 1 tsp sugar 4 g yeast 25g butter 1 packet of red bean paste Method Add flour, sugar and yeast, 1/2 of the egg and mix well. Next add salt and warm water and keep on kneading 5 min.  Next add butter and knead 10 more min. Leave the dough in a greased bowl in a warm place to double in size. Next put the dough on to the bench and cut in to equal size portions. Bake balls and roll to a circle and put the mix in the middle and seal edges. Leave to double in size again. Egg wash and bake 180c about 20-30 min.

Pistachio & Fruit Biscotti Ingredients 400g Pistachio nuts 470g Plain Flour 2 Tsp Baking powder 4 Eggs 1 Cup dried fruit 2 Cups caster sugar Method Add sugar, eggs and mix well. Next add rest of the ingredients and start kneading until its crumbly. Put that on to the bench top and start kneading until it comes together. Make logs out of that. Put them on baking trays and bake 20 min and leave to cool completely. Next slice them and bake 10-15 min turning them every 5 min. Store in air tight containers.

Ginger Bread Ingredients 100g Butter 2 Tblsp Treacle/honey/ molasses/golden syrup 2 Eggs 1 Cup Brown Sugar 1 Tsp Mixed spice 11/2 tsp Bicarb 2 Tblsp Ginger 150ml Milk 2 Cups Self raising flour Method Cream butter and sugar. Add golden syrup and the eggs one by one and keep on mixing. Add ginger, mixed spice, flour and bicarb and mix well adding milk. Grease a loaf pan (4x10) and put the mixture and bake 180c about 30-40 min.

Chicken & Onion Bread Rolls (Simple Baking) Ingredients For the filling 500g Diced chicken thighs 1 onion chopped 1 stock cube 1/2 cup milk 1/4 cup plain flour For the dough 375g Bread flour 1 Egg 215 ml Water 6g yeast 15g Sugar 40g Butter Method Add flour, sugar, yeast, and egg , Salt in to the mixing bowl and mix well. Add warm water little by little to make a smooth dough.  Add butter after and keep on kneading for 15 min. Next put that in a greased bowl and leave in a warm place to double in size. Next do the filling by frying onion and garlic in a bit of oil. Add chicken and cook for 20 min and add milk and flour and cook several minn and leave to cool down. Next put flour on to the bench top and put the dough and cut in to equal size portions. Make balls and roll and put the mix in to the middle and seal edges and use your palm to shape the buns. Next leave to prove again. Brush the tops with eggs and bake 180c about 20-30 min or ...

Stuffed Chicken Breasts Ingredients Chicken breasts Fresh bread crumbs 1/2 of an onion 1 Carrot 2 cups leeks Garlic 1 stock cube  2 Eggs Salt & pepper 1/2 cup mixed cheese Method Mix all the ingredients together. Press the chicken to be flattened as shown in the video. After fill the chicken breast and put mayo and then bread crumbs on top and bake 180c about 20-30 min

Chocolate Truffles Ingredients 250g Dark or milk chocolate 180ml thickened cream (if you like the truffles to be harder add less cream) Sprinkles for decorating Method Boil the cream and then add the cream in to the chocolate and mix well. Next leave it in fridge several hours or over night. Take a spoon full of mix and roll to a ball and cover with sprinkles and put them in tiny patty pan cases. leave in fridge. Serve with a coffee.

Queen Cakes (Simple Baking) Ingredients 1 Egg 1 cup Self raising flour 90g Butter 1/2 cup Sultana or mixed fruit 1/3  Cup caster sugar 2 tblsp boiling water Method Add butter and sugar in to a mixing bowl and beat until light and fluffy. Add 2 tblsp hot water in to the butter mix & continue mixing it another minute. After add the egg & continue beating 1 more min. Next add flour and sultana and mix well and fill the patty pans. Bake 180c about 15-20 min.

Chicken Puffs Ingredients 250g chicken thigh fillets diced 1 leek 1/2 cup of milk 1 tblsp margarine 2 tblsp plain flour Salt & pepper Onion & garlic Thawed puff pastry sheets Method Add butter  with onions and garlic in to a pot  and cook until tender. Next add chicken with salt & pepper and cook completely. After add leek and cook another min. Next add flour and milk and cook well and leave to cool down. Cut the pastry in to circles and put the mix in the middle.  Over lap the ends and use a fork or a pastry mould to make the puffs. Egg wash and bake on 180 about 20-30 min or until golden brown.

Greeny Pasta (Quick & Easy Meals) Ingredients 1 packet angel hair pasta 4 Cups Spinach 1 Cup Green peas 1/2 Cup capsicum 1 onion 50 g Butter 60g flour Salt and pepper Milk 1 stock cube Method Add butter and onions in to a pan and cook about a minute. Add flour next and cook 1 min & add milk and mix well. Add peas , capsicum and cook stirring continuously. Add a stock cube ,salt & pepper next and stir well. When the sauce starts thickening add the spinach and mix well.Next add pasta and mix and serve hot..

Strawberry & Lime Jelly Cakes Ingredients 6 Eggs 2 different flavours of jelly crystals 55g Self raising flour 55g corn flour 80g plain flour 160g sugar 11/2 cups of desiccated coconuts Method Preheat the oven to 180c. Prepare the jelly and leave in the fridge to be like unbeaten egg white consistency. Add the eggs in to a mixing bowl and beat 8 min on high speed. Next add sugar little by little and mix on high speed until thick and pale in colour. Add flours and mix on speed one or use a spatula to fold the flours in to the eggs. Grease a 9x9 inch cake pan or a Leamington tray and spread evenly. Bake on 180c about 20-30 min. Transfer the cake on to wire rack and cover with a baking paper and leave to cool down. Cut the cake in to squares and dip in the jelly and cover with coconut. Serve with cream or ice cream. If you like can cut in to half and sandwich with cream and serve with ice cream.

Garlic & Herb Bread Rolls ( Simple Baking) Ingredients 400g Bread Flour 80g plain flour 20g sugar 280ml water 7g Instant dry yeast 1/2 tsp salt 40g  butter For the filling 40g butter 1 Tblsp garlic 1 cup chopped chives , parsley or any other herb. Method Add flour, sugar and yeast in to a mixing bowl. While mixing add, egg, Salt and water little by little  and knead for 5 minutes. After add the 40g butter and keep on kneading another 10 min. Leave the dough in a greased bowl and leave in a warm place until double in size. When the dough is double in size put the dough on to a floured bench top and punch down, & cut in to equal size portions. Roll the dough as instructed in the video and cut a slit on the top of the bun. Leave in a warm place to double in size again. Meanwhile mix garlic,herbs,& butter. Brush the buns with eggs or milk. Put the prepared mix on to the middle of the bun and bake on 180c about 20-30 ...