A Refreshing Drink

With great reluctance, I will have to temporarily say farewell to this traditional drink that refreshed me during Iftar: the time of breaking my fast. This sweet drink is a kind of revitilizer that brings back my stamina during this month of Ramadan. Rooh Afza, as it is commonly known, is a juicy syrup which when diluted with water makes a great drink. It's original concentration is a mixture of seeds and raisins,like the khurfa seeds, Munaqqa and Kasni. Though I prepare this drink only during Ramadan, there are many others who relish this stimulating drink during the hot summers to quench their thirst.There are many ways to enjoy a glass of Rooh Afza. It could be enjoyed with just plain water, sugar and some crushed ice. A little lemon juice added would taste even better. My family loves it when I add some milk to it. 

Serving suggestions; 
To make a drink from Rooh Afza; add 3 table spoons of Rooh Afza to a glass of chilled water. Fresh lemon juice/crushed ice or milk can be added for extra flavour and add sugar according to taste.

My children enjoy it with a scoop of ice cream

A Loaf Of Contentment

Gather the crumbs of happiness and they will make you a loaf of contentment'

-anonymous-

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Fun Making Pizza At Home

My children loves to eat pizzas. However when it comes to choosing the toppings, each got their own preferences. It is a big hassle when we place an order for home delivery. Occasionally I make pizzas at home to make the children happy. Although the pizza I make at home is not perfect like the ones we eat at the restaurant, the children don't mind at all and they don't make a big issue about it, as they get to work on their own pizza with their choice of topping. My young sons like their share of the pizza with pepperoni and cheese, my  youngest girl, who is  a vegetarian relishes her pizza with veggies and without any cheese. Whereas my oldest daughter, husband and I love the spicy variety with a lot of bell peppers. Whenever I make pizza at home, the children are very delighted. They help me knead and roll out the dough and with a great sense of responsibility assemble their own toppings, which I help sort out. This is only kitchen chore the children do with a lot of excitement and eagerness. It's fun getting the children actively involved albeit the messy aftermath.

Fit for a vegetarian

Hot and Spicy

  

My sons assembled their own toppings and the mess thereafter...

A Quiet Celebration

Today my husband turned fifty. Since we were all fasting, I planned to have a quiet celebration during Iftar time (the time when we get to break our fast.) I made some special treats, like chicken samosas, fish cutlets, pastries and arranged a variety of fruits. My cousin had bought a cake earlier, so we had some of them too. I also sent some food to three kind people who work in the grocery down the road. They are always willing to help deliver the goods and groceries that we sometimes order by telephone.

The fruit bowl was emptied quickly

The cake

Fruity Thought of the Day

A table, a chair, a bowl of fruit and a violin; what else does a man need to be happy?
-Albert Einstein

Puff Pastry

Earlier when we went to do some grocery shopping,I bought some instant puff pastry squares.My sons wanted me to make some of them for Iftar-breaking of fast

I cut each pastry square into half and rolled it up with a piece of chicken sausage,which I had previously sauteed in a little oil and kept aside to cool.To get a golden layer on the crust,I brushed the mini pastries with an egg york and baked in a hot oven till done.This is so easy to make as there is no flour to mix and mess with.

Breaking Fast During Ramadan

It’s Ramadan once again and Muslims across the globe observe fast from dawn and until sunset. During a specific time when the sunset prayer is called in the mosques, Muslims break their fast with dates and thereafter eat other types of food. Friends and relatives are invited to partake of their food. Delicious Samosas, pastries, fruits and fruit juices and an assortment of savories are spread across the dining tables.
During Ramadan back at home in my native country, a delicious conjee is cooked with a lot of aromatic herbs and flavor. This is a porridge prepared with rice, chicken or lamb and a heavy dose of coconut milk. The cooling effect of garlic, ginger and fenugreek which is added during the process of cooking the porridge, makes it more irresistible. Children who fast are treated with their favourite food and drink.

Conjee-rice porridge


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Potato Badun

Badun is a sinhalese word for deviled, which in culinary term refers to food seasoned heavily.My Family loves dishes made with potato.As this dish is very spicy,it is not in my children's favourite recipe list.However,sometimes ,I adjust the spices according to their taste buds.I use less or mild spices.

Click on the picture for a larger view

1/2 Ib Potatoes

1 dessertspoon red chilly powder

1 dessertspoon Maldive Fish

3 cloves of garlic crushed

A slice of ginger crushed

A medium onion sliced

2-3 green chillies sliced

A piece of lemon grass

A sprig of curry leaves

1/2 teaspoon saffron/turmeric powder

Salt to taste

2 tablespoon oil

A cup of thick coconut milk.

Method

Boil the potatoes.Peel and cut into big chunks.Put the potatoes and the dry ingredients in a pan.Add the coconut milk and cook over a moderate fire.In another pan fry the sliced onions and when it browns ,turn them over to the pan with the potatoes.Cover with a lid and cook till the gravy is absorbed.

Lemon A Cure For Cancer?

I got this via e-mail and thought I will share this piece of information with you .Read carefully and be the judge.

Lemon (Citrus) is a miraculous product to kill cancer cells. It is 10,000 times stronger than chemotherapy.Lemon juice is beneficial in preventing the disease. Its taste is pleasant and it does not produce the horrific effects of chemotherapy. As you know, the lemon tree is known for its varieties of lemons and limes. You can eat the fruit in different ways: you can eat the pulp, juice press, prepare drinks, sorbets, pastries, etc... It is credited with many virtues, but the most interesting is the effect it produces on cysts and tumors. This plant is a proven remedy against cancers of all types. Some say it is very useful in all variants of cancer. It is considered also as an anti microbialspectrum against bacterial infections and fungi, effective against internal parasites and worms, it regulates blood pressure which is too high and an antidepressant, combats stress and nervous disorders.

It destroys the malignant cells in 12 cancers, including colon, breast, prostate, lung and pancreas ... The compounds of this tree showed 10,000 times better than the product Adriamycin, a drug normally used chemotherapeutic in the world, slowing the growth of cancer cells. And what is even more astonishing: this type of therapy with lemon extract only destroys malignant cancer cells and it does not affect healthy cells.
Source -e-mail

A Fiery Breakfast Dish

This sambol is a favourite amongst the Sri Lankans.This is known as Pol Sambol amongst the natives.It is very hot and spicy.It is made from fresh,scrapped coconut and a lot of red chillies.It is mostly eaten with string hoppers and rotis.This is also a favourite breakfast dish.I love eating this with warm ,fresh bread.Here is the recipe for those who want to try it.

1/2 a coconut ( scrapped)

8-10 dry red chillies

1 dessertspoonful Maldive fish ( pounded)

1 medium red onion sliced

Juice of 1 lime/lemon

salt to taste

Method

Pound all the dry ingredients and then add the scrapped coconut and mix them together.Add the lime/lemon juice and salt according to taste.

The Sambol goes well with String hoppers

It also tastes good with beef curry

Fruit Salad

Fruit is a healthy food and recognized as a wholesome meal.Many eat fruits for breakfast or as a dessert after a meal.When my favourite fruits are in season I love to make fruit salad .At other times I use whatever fruits I have in my refrigerater.In my Home country  fruit salad is n’t complete without fruits like papaya,bananas pine apple and mangoes.The fruits you choose to make the salad should be fresh and  perfectly ripe. Most fruits are available throughout the year. Apples,grapes and pears also make mouthwatering fruit salads.The dressing for the fruit salad is a syrup made with sugar and water. The perfect touch  is to chill the salad well before serving. Children enjoy fruit salad with  a scoop of ice cream.

Mixed fruit Salad

2 oranges
2 mangoes
2 bananas
A small pine apple
For the dressing
½ lb sugar
¼ water

Method –
Clean and cut the fruits into small pieces.Mix it lightly in a salad bowl.Set aside in the refrigerator to chill. In the meantime, prepare the dressing. Boil the sugar and water until they turn into a syrup. Allow it to cool. Pour over the chilled fruits and enjoy.

Rice And Curry

Sri Lanka is known for her warm hospitality and great food.The staple food of this beautiful island, is rice, which is accompanied with a wide range of curries,vegetables, pickles  and green leaves.No one could resist a  plateful  of  scrumptious delicacies.As hungry as I was,I  just couldn't  dip into the food without first taking some pictures of what I was going to eat.


A plate of rice with a variety of vegetables and curried fish.The vegetables you see are curried beetroot, lentils,  green leaves,thallana-battu  (Thai eggplant ) cooked spicy fish and fried pappadams,a crispy, savoury cracker.The best part of the whole thing is , you use your right hand fingers to mix a little bit of the rice and curries,take a morsel of the mixture and shove it ( not too roughly)  into the mouth.Hmm..And when munching, you get the real taste of all the goodness of the fiery spices and the flavourings of all the herbs.You got to taste it, to feel it!

My goodness! I still cannot believe that I had actually cleaned up the plate.