Author Archives: Ajith

Malay Pickle (Malay Achcharuwa)

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Malay Pickle (Malay Achcharuwa)

Malay Pickle

My Dad loved pickles and chutneys, so my Mum never forgot to make them at home – we never bought bottles of ready-made stuff. I always helped her make them, and I still remember all the tastes and the flavours. So now you can try my own recipe for the coming Singhalese New Year.

INGREDIENTS
150g carrots (peeled and cut into strips)
150g green capsicum – malu miris (seeded and cut into thick slices)
1 red capsicum (seeded and cut)
100g red shallots (cut in half)
100g big onion ( cut into wedges)
100g dates (seeded and coarsely chopped)
1 cup coconut vinegar or white vinegar
1 tbs garlic paste
1 tbs ginger paste
1 tbs black mustard paste
1 tbs brown sugar
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp chilli powder
1/2. tsp black pepper powder
Salt

malay pickle ingredients

METHOD

Heat the vinegar in a pan and let it simmer.  Add capsicum and cook for 3 minutes. Remove, and then do the same with the onion. Remove the pan from heat,  mix all the other ingredients (except for the vegetables and dates) into the vinegar (adding more vinegar if necessary). Check the seasoning. Add the dates, carrots, onions and capsicums into the pickle mixture, transfer to a bottle or a terracotta dish. For best results, make two days ahead before using.

Malay pickle is an authentic dish from the Malay community in Sri Lanka, which Sri Lankans have taken to their hearts and use on every special occasion.

White Radish Curry (Rabu Vanjanaya)

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White Radish Curry (Rabu Vanjanaya)

In Sri Lanka, white radish is available the whole year. A very healthy vegetable, it was one of my Mum’s most delicious curries. I thought to share it with you in this winter.

White Radish Curry
INGREDIENTS
300g white radish, peeled and cut into match sticks
1 onion, sliced
3 green chillies, sliced
3 sprigs of curry leaves
1/2 tsp mustard powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder or stick
2 tbs olive oil
1 cup coconut milk
Salt to taste

METHOD

Heat the oil in a pan, add onion, chilli, curry leaves and cook until soft. Then add all the dry ingredients, mix well. Now add the radish and stir together, cook for about 5 minutes. Add the coconut milk, check the seasoning, and simmer until the mixture binds together with the radish. Remove from the heat.

Serve with white rice.

String Hopper (Idiyappam) Buriyani

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String Hopper (Idiyappam) Buriyani

String Hopper

String hoppers (idiyappam) are steamed rice noodles, and a very popular breakfast dish in Sri Lanka. They are made from a hot water dough of rice (or wheat) flour pressed out in circlets from a string hopper mould (either aluminium or wooden) onto little wicker mats, then steamed*. My Mum always made them with rice flour, and served them with curry or made a biriyani from the leftovers. We normally make string hopper buriyani for special occasions – my version contains chicken but you can omit this if you want a pure vegetarian dish.

*String hopper moulds and mats are available from Sri Lankan grocers.

INGREDIENTS

1 kg chicken (boneless and skinless), cut into small pieces
200g mushrooms
150g onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 piece of ginger, chopped
1 lemongrass, roughly chopped
4 sprigs of curry leaves
3 green chillies
4 tbs coriander leaves, chopped
4 tomatoes, chopped
3 cardamoms, crushed
4 cloves
50g pine nuts, toasted in a pan
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1 tbs curry powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
4 tbs olive oil
1 cup coconut milk
Salt and pepper

METHOD

Heat the oil in a pan, add all the dry ingredients together and mix well. Then add the chicken, mushrooms and tomatoes, stir and cover. Cook for about 15 minutes then add the coconut milk, check the seasoning and let it simmer. Now the buriyani mixture is ready, add the prepared string hoppers using a thin spatula. Sprinkle the coriander and toasted pine nuts over the dish. Serve by itself, or with any vegetable you prefer.

Bean Curry with Corn and Spinach

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Bean Curry with Corn and SpinachBean Curry with Corn and Spinach

INGREDIENTS

I tin brown chickpeas (drained)
1 tin regular chickpeas (drained)
1 tin butter beans (drained)
2 fresh sweetcorn (cut off the kernels)
250g spinach
1 big onion (chopped)
2 cloves of garlic (chopped)
3 green chilli (sliced)
3 sprigs curry leaves
1 tbs curry powder
1/2 turmeric powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder or stick
1 tsp mustard powder or paste
1 1/2 cup coconut milk
Salt to taste

METHOD

Mix all the ingredients except for the spinach together in a pan with the coconut milk. Let simmer uncovered on a low flame (about 10 minutes) until the gravy thickens. At the last moment, add the spinach, mix together and then remove from the heat. Check the seasoning.

Serve with rice… enjoy!

Black Pork Curry

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Black Pork Curry

black pork curry

In Sri Lanka we can find fresh pork anywhere. My friends really enjoy my black pork curry dish, and I have frequent requests to make it.

INGREDIENTS

500g pork (diced)
1 tbs roasted curry powder
1 tbs crushed chilli
3 tbs grated coconut (pan roasted and ground)
1 tsp black pepper powder
1 tsp mustard powder
1 tbs cinnamon powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2 onions (sliced)
3 garlic cloves (chopped)
3 sprigs curry leaves
3 green chillies (sliced)
3 tbs chopped ginger
1 peace chopped lemongrass
5 chopped cardamom
3 tbs olive oil
2 tbs lemon or lime juice
2 cup water
Salt to taste

METHOD

Marinate the pork with the dry herbs and coconut. Heat the oil then sauce the onion, ginger, garlic, curry leaves, lemongrass, chilli, mustard, and cardamom. Add the pork, mix together well, pour in the water and stir. Cover the pan and cook until the gravy thickens and has absorbed into the meat. Remove from the heat, add the lemon or lime juice and check the seasoning. Serve with rice or bread.

Sweet Roasted Rice Balls (Aggala)

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Sweet Roasted Rice Balls (Aggala)

My Mum never forgot to make me this lovely sweet aggala for afternoon tea. Because I am the youngest I got an extra rice ball!

rice balls

INGREDIENTS

1 cup roasted sun-dried boiled rice (ground) or use boiled rice, dried in a very low oven for 30 minutes.
1 cup scraped coconut
3 tbs brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
Pinch of salt
Water

METHOD

Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl, add a little water and mix by hand to make balls. Enjoy with afternoon tea.

Stuffed Crab

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Stuffed Crab

stuffed crab

In Sri Lanka we can easily find a fresh crab. My Mum used to make a similar recipe with bread crumbs, but this is my own recipe. I made this dish couple of times for my dinner parties and everyone loved it!  I hope you will all enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

4 scallop shells or crab shells (cleaned and washed and dried)
400g crab claw meat
1 white onion (finely chopped)
2 garlic clove (finely chopped)
1 green or red chilli (chopped)
4 spring onion, white part (chopped)
1 tbs olive oil
2 tbs parsley and dill (chopped)
1 tbs lime juice
1 tsp capers (chopped)
Salt and pepper

METHOD

Heat the oil in a pan – add garlic, chilli and onion and saute until soft. Then add the crab meat, mix well and remove from the heat. Add capers, spring onion, and lime juice and check the seasoning. Fill the shells with the mixture, then cover the filling with white sauce (see below). Bake at 180 degrees for 20 minutes.

White sauce

INGREDIENTS
2 tbs butter
4 tbs plain flour
1/2 cup cold milk
1/2 mustard cream or powder
Salt and pepper

METHOD

Heat the butter, add the flour and mix well. Remove from the heat and add milk, mix until it is free of lumps. Simmer until the sauce has thickened, stirring well. Check the seasoning.

Lamb Curry

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Lamb Curry

lamb curry

INGREDIENTS
500g lamb or mutton (cut into cubes)
1 onion (chopped)
4 garlic cloves (chopped)
2 tbsp chopped ginger
3 green chillies (chopped)
4 sprigs of curry leaves
1 piece of lemongrass (optional)
2 tbsp roasted curry powder
1 tsp crushed black pepper
1 piece of cinnamon stick
3 cardamom (crushed)
1tsp mustard powder or paste
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 cup water
1 cup coconut milk
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp soya sauce
2 tbsp lemon juice
Salt to taste

METHOD

Wash the meat then mix with all the spics and soya sauce. Heat the oil in a pan add garlic, ginger, onion, curry leaves, lemongrass, cardamom, and cinnamon and cook for a while. Add meat mixture and stir well, then add water. Cover and cook for about 15 minutes until the meat is tender and the gravy is absorbed. Add the coconut milk and bring back to a boil, stir well and check the seasoning. When the gravy thickens remove from the heat then add the lemon juice.

Jack Fruit Milk Curry (Kirikos)

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Jack Fruit Milk Curry (Kirikos)

jak

Jack fruit is actually the unripe form of this fruit – when it has ripened we call it waraka. Both types are really popular in Sri Lanka. My Mum used to make lots of different and delicious dishes using jak fruit. This is one of her pure vegetarian recipes I tried with a packet of dried jack fruit without salt, oil or preservatives that I found in one of the Asian shops in London.

INGREDIENTS

100g dry jack fruit (soaked in hot water for about an hour)
1 red onion sliced
2 red chillies sliced
3 sprigs of curry leaves
1/2 tsp black peppercorns
1 piece of cinnamon
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp mustard powder or paste
1 tsp curry powder
1 1/2 cup coconut milk
Salt to taste

METHOD

Drain the water from jack fruit, transfer to a saucepan and add all the dry ingredients plus the coconut milk. Cover and boil for about 10 minutes, making sure it does not boil over. Stir and check the seasoning – if necessary add a bit more coconut  milk. Simmer until the sauce absorbs into the jack fruit and the gravy becomes thick.

Serve with rice.

Banana Fritters Cup Cake

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Banana Fritters Cup Cake

banana fritter cup cake

In Sri Lanka, we have lots of varieties of plantains – green, red, and yellow. My Mum used lots of yellow plantains for these fritters, but in the UK bananas are more freely available so I have adapted my Mum’s recipe to use bananas and instead of deep-frying them, I bake them in the oven. No butter, no oil!

INGREDIENTS
3 ripe bananas
1 cup self-raising flour
1/2 brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1 tsp baking powder
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup coconut milk

METHOD
Pre heat the oven 180*, mix the wet ingredients together then add sugar and mix well. Add the dry ingredients with the banana and give it a rough mix. Arrange cup cake cases on a tray then fill with the mixture. Bake for about 20 minutes.

I serve them with just a dusting of icing sugar – but it is tastier when you add a scoop of vanilla ice cream!