Spicy Seasoned Chicken Breast Wrapped in Parma Ham

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Spicy Seasoned Chicken Breast Wrapped in Parma Ham 

chicken parma ham

INGREDIENTS
5 boneless and skinless chicken breasts
5 thin slices Parma ham
100g chopped tomato
1/2 glass red wine
2 cloves chopped garlic
1 small onion chopped
2 tablespoons lime or lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
I tablespoon sweet chilli sauce
1 teaspoon crushed chilli
1 tablespoon chopped rosemary
Salt and pepper

METHOD

  • In a bowl mix the lime juice, sweet chilli sauce, crushed chilli, rosemary, salt and pepper then add chicken breasts.
  • Marinate in the mixture for 10 minutes.
  • Wrap each breast with a slice of Parma ham, and arrange in an oven proof dish.
  • Heat the oil then add the garlic and onion. When the onion is cooked add chopped tomato and wine. Let the sauce thicken.
  • Check the seasoning, and pour over the chicken.
  • Cover with foil and bake in a hot oven (180c) for 30 minutes.

Serve with boiled rice…

 

Fish Pie with Butternut Mash

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                                                                Fish Pie with Butternut Mash

Fish Pie with Butternut Mash

    INGREDIENTS

  • 250 g fish (boneless)
  • 125 g small shrimps (remove head and clean)
  • 250 g butternut mash
  • 1 onion (chopped)
  • 3 garlic cloves (chopped)
  • 4 tablespoons of low fat creme fraiche
  • 2 tablespoons lemon or lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 celery stick (chopped)
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 50 g parsley (chopped)
  • 1 cup water
  •  salt and pepper
     METHOD
  • Season the fish and boil for about 15 minutes, then remove skin and bones.
  • Heat the oil in a pan add garlic, onion and celery then shrimps. After 7 minutes remove from the heat and add fish, cream, lemon juice and check the seasoning.
  • Put the mixture into a pie dish.
  • In a separate bowl mix the mash with parsley, butter and seasoning. Spread onto the fish mixture.
  • Bake in a hot oven, 180′ for 20 minutes.
I use very healthy ingredients for this fish pie and a simple cooking method.
Enjoy !

 

Ali Olio

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Ali Olio

ali olio

This is my take on a very Italian dish. The first time I tried it was in Venice, and I have been making it for my friends ever since.

INGREDIENTS
500g spaghetti, boiled and drained
125 g anchovies (in olive oil)
125g garlic (chopped)
125g flat or curly parsley (chopped)
2 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoon crush red chilli
Salt

METHOD

  • Heat the oil add garlic
  • Add anchovies and crush chilli
  • Remove from the heat, add parsley and salt to taste (beware! the anchovies are salty)
  • Pour the mixture into the spaghetti, mix well
  • Serve as soon as possible, with grated parmesan cheese

Stuffed Chilli (Mulumiris Puruwala)

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 Stuffed Chilli (Mulumiris Purawala)

stuffed chilli

INGREDIENTS

250g long capsicum peppers (cut down the side and seeded carefully)

100g red onion (chopped)

75g boiled potato, crushed

4 garlic cloves (chopped)

1 cup coconut milk

2 tablespoons Maldives fish (crushed)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons raw curry powder

1 teaspoon roasted curry powder

1 teaspoon mustard powder

1 inch cinnamon stick

Sprigs of curry leaves

Salt to taste

METHOD

  • Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil, add 2 garlic cloves, 50g of the onion, some curry leaves, Maldives fish, 1 teaspoon raw curry powder, potato and seasoning.
  • Stuff the mixture into the capsicum and leave to one side.
  • Heat the rest of the oil in a pan add the rest of garlic, onion and cinnamon stick, curry leaves and rest of the raw curry powder and mustard powder. Mix well then add coconut milk and seasoning.
  • Let it start to simmer then arrange the stuffed chilli carefully and cover and cook them on a very low heat, about 10 minutes.
  • Remove from the heat, sprinkle with roasted curry powder.


Serve with boiled rice.  Enjoy!

Love Cake

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Love Cake

love cake

INGREDIENTS
5 eggs
250g semolina (roasted)
150g cashew nuts (chopped)
75g pumpkin preserve (finely cut)
125g butter
250g sugar
5 tablespoon bee’s honey
6 tablespoons brandy
3 tablespoons vanilla
5 tablespoons rose essence
2 tablespoons rind of lime or lemon (finely cut)
1 teaspoon allspice

METHOD

  • Separate the egg yolks and cream together with the sugar.
  • Add all the remaining ingredients.
  • Finally fold in 2 egg whites, stiffly beaten.
  • Line a cake tray with two sheets of greaseproof paper, brush with melted butter.
  • Pour in the cake mixture, bake in a moderate oven 160 centigrade  for 45 minutes, until golden brown on the top and springy to the touch.

Let it cool down and cut into squares. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Enjoy with your lover on this Valentine Day…

…and let me know!

Sri Lankan Fried Rice

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Sri Lankan Fried Rice

DSCF3209

INGREDIENTS
500g boiled rice
1 red onion (chopped)
4 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 lemongrass (chopped)
3 bay leaves
5 cloves
5 cardamom (crushed)
1 inch cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
Pinch of saffron or turmeric powder
4 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups boiling water

METHOD

  • Wash the rice and let it drain.
  • Heat the oil and sauté all the other ingredients until soft.
  • Add the rice and mix well, cook for about 10 minutes making sure it does not burn.
  • Add the boiling water, saffron and salt, mix well and cover.
  • Bring to the boil then reduce the flame, simmer until cooked (add more boiling water if necessary).

Garnish with fried onion, and serve with chicken curry, ash plantain curry and devilled potato…

NB. This is a basic fried rice recipe – if you want, you can add vegetables, meat or seafood.

Chinese Roll

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Chinese Roll

In Sri Lanka, we have many different varieties of finger food. Chinese roll is one of the most popular. Often people go out and buy it from the pastry shops, thinking it is a hassle to prepare but actually, it’s very simple! And much tastier when you have made it yourself with the right ingredients. I am sure you will enjoy my recipe.

For the batter:
125g plain flour
2 eggs
1 cup water
Salt

Mix everything together and beat until smooth. Set aside while you make the filling…

Filling:
150g tin tuna
50g grated carrot
75g mashed potato
1 red onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 chopped green chilli
1 tablespoon chopped mint
I tablespoon lime juice
Salt and pepper

Saute the garlic, onion and chilli in a little olive oil, then add the grated carrot, tuna and mash. Check the seasoning and remove from heat. Add lime juice and chopped mint.

Egg wash
Bread crumbs
Oil for frying

METHOD

Make the pancakes, add the filling while the pancakes are still warm. This will help it stick together. Then coat with eggwash and breadcrumbs, deep fry in hot oil until golden brown.

 

 

Spaghetti Meatballs

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Spaghetti Meatballs

Spaghetti Meatballs

SAUCE

INGREDIENTS

125g chopped tomato

25g tomato paste

50g chopped onion

4 cloves chopped garlic

Half a glass red wine

1 tablespoon dry oregano or dry mix herbs

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 chopped chillies

Salt and pepper

METHOD 

  • Heat the oil in a pan then fry garlic, onion and chillies
  • Add herbs, chopped tomato, tomato paste and wine
  • Check seasoning
  • Cook for about 10 minutes until the sauce thickens

MEATBALLS

INGREDIENTS

250g mincemeat (beef, pork, or chicken)

50g chopped onion

2 garlic cloves (chopped)

1 beaten egg

2 tablespoons fresh bread crumbs

1 tablespoon dry herbs

1table spoon crushed chilli

50g sesame seeds (toss on a hot pan)

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt and pepper

METHOD

  • Heat the oven to 180 C
  • Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the onion and garlic
  • In a bowl, mix together the cooked onion, mince meat and other ingredients and the seasoning
  • Form into balls and cover with the toasted sesame seeds
  • Arrange in an ovenproof dish and cook for 25 minutes
  • Add the meatballs to the tomato sauce

Serve with spaghetti tossed with olive oil, and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

Passion Fruit Cake

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Passion Fruit Cake

Passion Fruit Cake

Passion Fruit Cake

INGREDIENTS
60 ml yoghurt
60 ml vegetable oil
60 ml passion fruit pulp
150 g sugar
150 g self raising flour
2 large eggs
pinch of salt
METHOD
  • Preheat the oven to 180’c.
  • Lightly grease the cake tin.
  • Place all the cake ingredients in a mixing bowl and beat together for a few minutes until everything is well combined.
  • Put the mixture into the cake tin and bake for 25 minutes.
  • Allow the cake to cool.
Passion Fruit Curd
250 g sugar
100 g butter
60 ml passion fruit pulp (6 very ripe passion fruits)
3 large eggs
icing sugar for dusting
To make the curd, place all the ingredients in the top of a double boiler and heat, stirring until they have melted and combined. Then allow the mixture to cook until it thickens – be sure keep on eye on water levels in the double boiler and don’t let it it  boil dry.
ASSEMBLY
Slice the cake in half across, and sandwich the two layers together with the passion fruit curd. Dust the finished cake lightly with icing sugar.

Ash Plantain and Brinjal Curry

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Ash Plantain and Brinjal Curry

Ashplant And Aubergine Curry

Ash Plantain And Brinjal Curry

INGREDIENTS
250g ash plantain (skinned and cubed)Ash_Plantain
250g brinjals (cubed)
100g onion, sliced
6 cloves garlic, chopped
4 green chilli, sliced
1 inch piece ginger, chopped
4 sprigs curry leaves
1 inch piece cinnamon stick
1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons vinegar
1 tablespoon roasted curry power
1 tablespoon raw curry power
½ teaspoon ground saffron
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon mustard powder
2 tablespoons maldive fish powder
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup vegetable oil
salt to taste
METHOD
  • heat the oil then deep fry the ash plantain and brinjals until golden brown, then drain on paper towels
  • heat a little oil in a separate pan then saute the onion, garlic, ginger, curry leaves, cinnamon, maldive fish, green chilli, then add the vinegar, sugar and coconut milk and all the spices except for the roasted curry powder
  • add the ash plantain and brinjals and stir gently. Taste the seasoning, and let it simmer for 3 minutes. Do not cover the curry as the mustard will turn bitter
  • remove from the heat, and add the roasted curry power