Banana Apple Fritters

So far the only recipe I can think of making with  over ripened bananas  are banana fritters.But that didnt stop me from putting  a new spin to my old recipe.Adding some shredded apple and a teaspoon  of lemon zest took  the banana fritters to a whole  new level.I was a bit hesistant to introduce  the new addition  to my old banana fritter recipe ,nevertheless , I gathered some courage and  went   ahead with my decision.I did nt regret adding them as they brought out extra new flavours to it. I wish my daughters were here with me at home to taste it as  they  are my best critics when it comes to  my ' sweet'  dishes.

 Recipe for Banana Apple fritters

Sieve 1 1/2  cups of flour.Mash 5 well ripened  bananas and mix them together..Add a pinch of salt and 1/2 a teaspoon of bicarbonate soda.Add  a little water .( the mixture should be of very thick consistency). Shred a piece of apple to the mixture and throw in a teaspoon of lemon zest.Leave aside for 15-20 minutes.Drop spoonfuls into hot oil and fry till golden brown.Then you soak these delightful fritters in a puddle of jaggery syrup before you enjoy them.

To make the jaggery syrup -

In a pan, add about 250 grams of jaggery to 1 cup of water and bring to a boil.Mix into it, about 3-4 tablespoons of sugar,a few crushed cardamoms and a small stick of cinnaman.Remove from heat , cool and add the fritters.(Remove the spices before your serve)

Fancy Bread Cones

A great recipe to make in a jiffy.

Ingredients:
Bread slices, Philadelphia Cream Cheese, chopped cucumber, tomatoes, mustard, two boiled eggs, salt, pepper

Instructions:
1. Cut the corners of the bread slices and flatten them with a  rolling pin.
2. Shape the slices into cones. Press the corners together to keep them firmly intact.
3. In a separate bowl, mash the boiled eggs (eggs should be boiled and kept to cool)
4. Add the Cream Cheese and mustard to it and mix well.
5. Fold in the cucumber and tomato into the mixture.
6. Season with salt and pepper
6. Fill cones with this cheese egg salad mixture.

Decorate as desired.Serve immediately .
This would have tasted even better if   I had baked the bread cones  cooled and then filled  them with the cream cheese mixture. But no one had the patience to wait for an extra five minutes

Flatten slice of bread and make a cone 

Fruit Salad

Apart from being lactose intolerant, one of my daughters has gluten sensitivity so I have to carefully plan what I make for her. A few days ago, we bought some fresh fruits from the super market and it had been in the fridge ever since. I hadn't touched them because we went out of town for a couple of days. Personally I'm not a dessert person but coming back to a fridge full of fruits, I decided to do a fruit salad. Fruit salad is a combination of different fruits chopped into pieces and with a squeeze of lemon juice served chilled or served with whipped cream or ice cream. I love to eat my bowl of fruit salad just as it is without any accompaniment. It's an ideal dessert for the summer. I had a couple of mangoes, kiwi fruits, pears, apples, plums, mandarins and a medium sized papaya.My daughter was full of smiles when she figured out that she could enjoy the bowl of fruit salad without any guilty feelings.

Instructions
Wash and peel whatever fruits you have in your refrigerator
Cut into small bite size pieces (best if it's cut into the same size)
Toss them into a glass bowl
Squeeze in juice of a lemon
Chill for 2-3 hours so that  the fruits get well blended with its own juices
Serve into individual dessert cups and enjoy

My daughter and I ate it without any guilt

How to make cake made from cake mix taste like home made

One thing I am sure to find in my pantry is a box of cake mix. The reason I buy extras is whenever my children get hungry for home made cake, I just have to grab a box from the pantry, add or switch ingredients and make my own twist to it and la voila, my children are happy to eat an almost homemade cake. All I do to tranform the store purchased mix  into home made one is to play with the cake mix and try to enhance the look and flavour so that it gives a more home-baked taste. Here are some things I add to replace the ingredients to be used as per instructions  in the box; I substitute milk or orange juice for water. I add half a cup of mashed bananas to a vanilla or yellow cake mix to get  a taste of banana cake. Sometimes,just before placing the cake mix batter into the oven I  add chocolate chips to get a shiny finish and throw in some crushed walnuts or pecans to bite into.once it's done,the aroma fills the whole house inviting everyone into the kitchen.

Here I have made a pineapple upside down cake with a pound cake micx

My son helping me with the batter

To this strawberry cake mix I added choco chips.It tasted great

Chinese Spring Rolls

For the last many years,I have been trying to make  perfect spring rolls  from scratch  but have failed on many occasions.Recently my sister suggested to me  to improvise the batter preparation.So taking that advice into consideration, I decided to try my hands at making Chinese rolls,as it is commonly called in my native country,which is not all related to China.Don't ask me why it's known as the Chinese rolls,because honestly I don't know it either.Thank God,the new technique worked for me.They were not the perfect rolls but were deliciously good, as told by  the critics at home- my children.
Chinese rolls are  made with crepe/pancake batter and stuffed with some spicy filling,then  rolled and tossed in bread crumbs and deep fried.They are very popular at iftar,during Ramadan.They make lovely tea time snacks or  just  wonderful  at birthday parties and any other occasions.

Kitchen Disasters

I was reading a favourite magazine when I came across some interesting  tips to follow, when cooking disasters take place in the kitchen. How many times have we  got to a stage where we think we have to  throw away  the food because we have added too much of salt in the food. And  how much does it infuriate you  when everyone starts complaining  that the food is too oily and leave their plates barely eaten. I find that in most instances  when making ,soups and stews,I unsuspectingly tend to   add extra salt and hold my hands in my head wondering what  I  am going to do with a pot full  of salty soup and  who on earth is going to eat it after that.. Many times I have added cupfuls of extra water to reduce the saltiness but  have ended  up with a pot of  watery soup.

By following some procedures ,I am sure we can relish the salty food too which otherwise would probably go waste.I found these tips very useful and easy to handle. So make sure  to  try  them  next time  you  encounter similar mishaps when cooking.Try adding raw potatoes to the soups and discard  them once they are thoroughly cooked.The cooked potatoes absorb the extra  salt ..Another method is to mix  a teaspoon of cider vinegar and sugar.To get rid of excess fat from soups ,refrigerate the soup after cooking.The excess fat will come up to to the surface and can  be easily removed. Lettuce leaves also absorb fat. Place a few in the pot and the fat will  cling onto it. Simply remove the lettuce leaves. This is a good technique to  adapt to prevent wastage of food  from  possible cooking disasters .


               A pot of soup can turn disastrous if too much of salt is added

Brinjal,Aubergine,Eggplant

Brinjal  is a cherished vegetable among my family members.It is also known as aubergine or eggplant They come in two colours :purple and white.

When uncooked it has a bitter taste  but becomes soft and pulpy when cooked. As soon as the vegetable is cut for cooking,the vegetable pieces are soaked in turmeric powder to get rid of the bitterness.Then it is washed and rinsed well before getting to the stove.I love to try my hands cooking brinjals in a variety of ways.Brinjals can be cooked,fried baked and roasted .More than often ,I fry the brinjals and then use them accordingly in a recipe.My family’s favourite is the baked brinjal dish,which I prepare for special occasions.Another specialty is the brinjal curry ,which is commonly cooked in my home.With added ingredients it becomes  a delectable dish.This is usually served with rice and curry.l

Brinjal Curry

4 medium brinjals

1 onion sliced

A piece of ginger chopped

3 cloves garlic chopped

1 tomato

A dessertspoon mustard seeds.

A sprig of curry leaves

1 tablespoon chilly powder or chilly  flakes ( you can add more  or reduce the amount)

1 ½ teacups coconut milk.

Oil for frying

Salt to taste

Method

Wash and cut the brinjals  lengthwise .( should be a little thick).Fry them in oil.Drain them in paper towel and set aside while you prepare the gravy.

Heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan.Cook the onions till it turns pale in colour.Add the ginger ,garlic,chilly and the rest of the ingredients and cook for a further few minutes.When the gravy thickens , add the fried brinjals and let it simmer .Enjoy with a plate of rice and curry.

 

You can see more pictures of brinjal dishes ( cooked in a variety of ways) 

Creamy Leeks

Uncooked leek is  crunchy and firm and has the taste of onions.Leeks can be used in a variety of dishes and it makes a delectable side dish.One of the most popular uses is for adding flavor to stock.The dark green portion is usually used for stir fries and stocks.This scrumptious stems can be used or cooked on it’s own or blended with  many other ingredients to bring out the extra flavours.In my home country we eat leeks cooked with   variety of ingredients. My children love it when its prepared with sliced onions and tomatoes. However the rest of my family members  love  to eat  leeks cooked with a few tablespoons of  coconut milk which  makes the leeks tastier and gives a more delicate and creamier flavor.We eat this with steaming rice and a meat dish on the side.Raw leeks is ideal to bring the extra crunch to the salad and also used as a  garnish.Leeks also  bring a distinct flavor  to stews and  soups.So today,let me show you how leeks is prepared in my kitchen.

saute the leeks with other ingredients

Ingredients

A salad bowl of washed and chopped leeks

An onion sliced

2-3 cloves of garlic crushed

One tomato chopped

½ teaspoon mustard seeds

 ½ teaspoon turmeric powder

½ teaspoon curry powder

1-2 tablespoons  oil

½ cup water

2-3 tablespoon coconut milk powder

A sprig of curry leaves ( optional)

Salt to taste

Adjusting a little more or less of the ingredients won’t make a difference..

Method

Heat the oil in the pan.Saute the onions,mustard seeds and the crushed garlic. Add the,turmeric powder and the curry powder and the curry leaves ( optional).At this stage a wonderful aroma will waft through the kitchen and will start tantalizing your senses.Mix in the chopped tomatoesand the leeks and cook in high heat for 2-3 minutes. Reduce  heat add the  salt and water.Let it simmer for another 2-3 minutes.Finally stir  in the powdered coconut milk. ( this has to be mixed in quickly so that no lumps form).Enjoy with rice and  any other curry.

 

Final touch - with coconut milk

 

The difference Between Refined And Unrefined Flour

The  difference between  brown  and  white  flour  is that  white flour(refined  wheat flour) contain  only the endosperm,whereas in whole-grain(unrefined whole wheat flour) all of the grain (bran,germ and endosperm )is intact and  utiilized when processing  flour from  whole- grains.So consuming whole-grain whole wheat flour in our  daily diet is highly advantageous as  nothing is lost in the process of making the flour.The  textured, brownish colour of whole grain flour is due to keeping the  bits and pieces of  the grains intact( without discarding them) in the process of making flour.

Whole-grain whole wheat flour is  a healthy,full-flavored flour, fortified  with vitamins, minerals and protein.Whole-grain  wheat flour is more nourishing than their counterpart , the  refined white flour. Refined white flour  does not,contain the macronutrients  of the wheat's bran and germ,especially protein and fibre,like whole-grain flour does. Whole grain has a good amount  of vitamins like calcium , iron,and minerals like selenium.

Unlike white refined flour,whole grain flour  does not raise sugar levels very quickly.So it makes  a better choice for diabetics who wish to keep their sugar levels under control.

However you cannot store the whole grain flour  for longer periods as it has  a shorter shelf life than white flour. The oil content is much higher in the  whole grain wheat flour causing it to spoil quickly, if  it is not  stored in cool places such as a refrigerator.

buns made with refined flour

 

Colourful Bell Peppers

Bell peppers have a lot of nutrients.They are loaded with vitamin c and folic acid.They are tangy and crunchy and have a very smooth texture.They can be used in salads,sandwiches,pastas and meat.Bell peppers come in a variety of colours like red,green,orange and yellow.Recently I bought bell peppers from the supermarket  to make a special dish for my daughters birthday.I fried beef and then cooked it with all the colourful  bell peppers.Not only was this dish  presentable at the table,it was greatly relished by  the party guests who were all in their teens.I  used  a lot of spices and herbs to give it an unbeatable aroma and flavour.

You could also use bell peppers  to garnish food.I love to top them on pizzas and my meat curries.The coloured peppers actually tempt your tastes buds and  your senses too.I cannot wait to try another recipe using these colourful peppers.

You can follow this beef recipe and add the colourful bell peppers in the final stage of cooking.

Mix And Match Recipe

A number of dishes can be tried with dry fish.This is a recipe  made from dried and salted fish which is then  fried in hot oil.The recipe I have for you  is fried dry fish sambal.This is generally eaten with red rice,dhal curry,a greeny leaf  mallun ( minced salad) and pappadam, a thin crispy savoury  wafer.This  specific recipe and the above dishes make  an ideal Lunch on a cold winter day.This is a typical  lunch in most homes in Sri Lanka.The neighbouring homes know you are cooking this dish because of the tantalizing  aroma that wafts from your kitchen. 


The recipe ( Dry Fish Sambal)
Fry dried fish pieces,any kind .( 8-10 pieces) Set aside.
Then slightly  fry  two sliced  onions,3-4 green chillies ,a tablespoon red chilly flakes and a few curry leaves in a little oil.
Add one large chopped tomato and salt to taste.Mix in the fried dried fish.Squeeze in the juice of a small lime.


You can also mix and match this recipe  with a few  other dishes as well  ...mix it with deviled potatoes.

... or simply add it to fried brinjals ( eggplant)

Hummus And Tahini Dip

This is a popular dish in the Middle East; more frequently used as a dip. This goes well with Pitta bread.

• 1 cup chickpeas
• 3 cups of water
• 1/2 a cup of Tahini
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 tablespoons of parsley; minced well
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 teaspoon of chili powder
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Method:

Soak the peas for 12 hours. Boil well. Keep aside a few for garnishing. Blend the chickpeas with salt, pepper, tahini, garlic and half of the chopped parsley. Add lemon juice. This paste should be thick and very smooth. Pour it into a dish with olive oil. Garnish with the remaining chickpea and parsley.

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Macaroni Chicken

This recipe has been my children's favourite for a very long time. Everyone at home loves pasta especially this particular one which I use to prepare during special occasions.However I do not disappoint the children when  they request for this dish  once in a while. I have been making this with beef for quite sometime .So this festive season ( Eid) I decided to  prepare this specialty using  chicken.My Children refer to this as 'Mama's Macaroni'

Ingredients 

A packet of macaroni (500 gm packet)

1 1/2 lbs chicken  (a little more or less will not make a difference)

2 large onions chopped

4-5 green chilies (remove seeds if you prefer less spicy)

A small pod of garlic

1 inch ginger (or a little more)

1-2 teaspoons of Cummin seeds

1-2 teaspoons of curry powder

1-2 teaspoons pepper or according to your palate

Salt to taste

1 Maggie cube (chicken flavor tastes good)

Ghee/butter

1 cup thick Coconut Milk

For garnishing;

Cheese

Coriander leaves

Direction

Boil the macaroni with a little salt (drain it and set aside). Wash & cut the chicken into medium sized pieces. Boil the chicken with 2-3 cups of water- with a little pepper & salt. Once done, remove the bones and  set aside (don’t throw the excess liquid).

Pound the ginger, garlic, green chilies & the cummin seeds (set aside).

In a large pan, heat 2-3 tablespoon of ghee/butter, stir in the chopped onions and when it begins to get soft & translucent, put in the rest of the pounded ingredients (garlic, ginger, green chilies & cummin seeds). Keep on stirring it you get that aroma (don’t let it brown).

Put in the curry powder and the pepper and give it a good stir. Add the boiled chicken  with the excess liquid into this sautéed mixture and cover the pan with a lid & cook for 10 minutes. Next add the boiled macaroni. Mix in the Maggie cube. Cover and cook for further 10-15 minutes. Pour in, the cup of coconut milk and add salt. (Remember the Maggie cube is already salty, so add salt only if it’s necessary)  Let it simmer for a while .

Then transfer this cooked pasta into a baking dish.Grate a small tin of cheese on top of the pasta and bake in a hot oven until the cheese begins to melt.Remove from oven & garnish with chopped coriander leaves (optional)

 (P.S. You can adjust the spices according to your taste bud.)

Serves about 6-8 persons

What You Did'nt Know About Celery

Celery is a type of green  vegetable that can be eaten raw or be used in soups,stews and broths for  extra flavoring and taste.The long stalks  are crunchy and has a fine aroma.Covered in  plastic wraps ,it preserves well in the freezer for a longer period of time..Celery is used daily in my cooking.I love adding it to my beef and fish curries.Since I love to retain the color and the crunchiness,I simply use it to garnish the meat dishes.


Here is an interesting fact,I found while reading the book 'Foods For moods,.
'The vegetable celery contains some androsterone.When digested,the androsterone is released through our perspiration,which most people quite unknowingly find it irresistible '

So go on a celery binge,when  you want a cuddle from your loved one..This is definitely  a healthier alternative to perfume..

Eating Dips and Salads

Eid festival has come and gone however all of us are still in the festive mood as everyone is on holiday. And all are less bothered to follow the usual routine. Everyone at home were doing their own thing in a leisurely manner. The children were even eating the meals at different timing. Last evening I was too lethargic to do anything. I tried to avoid going into the kitchen too. My husband decided to take us out to the mall, so that the sons would have some sort of entertainment. And he suggested we have dinner at the food court there. By the time we decided to eat, the food court was packed to capacity. There were no empty tables and chairs. Even the most sought after restaurants in the mall were packed. Everyone was too hungry to patiently wait till a table was cleared. Finally we decided to order take-away and eat at home. The children wanted burgers and fries. We bought some vegetable noodles for the vegetarian daughter. But I decided to order only some appetizers/starters as I was too tired to eat a heavy meal. I ordered a platterful of different dips and salads. Dips like Humus, Thahini, eggplant dip, corn and parsley salad and a portion of coleslaw. It was a serving for about four people. It was packed with Kubz, a kind of flat bread that I used as a spoon to dip and shovel the salads into my mouth.

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

Cooking Fritters

This is a continuation of my earlier post on Fritters.Special attention is needed when making fritters.All depends on the consistence of the batter.Fritters could be made just about with any fruits.The most relished are pine apple fritters and banana fritters.Fritters could be made in two ways.One method is the fruit is coated in a batter and deep fried.The other is like the way I prepare at home.( Check my earlier post Go Bananas With Fritters ).Always make sure the batter is light and smooth,if not they will turn out heavy.The oil should be very hot for frying them.And do not fry too many at one time.

Here is the recipe for the batter to coat fruits.
1/4 flour
1 teacup milk
1 egg
a pinch of salt

Put the flour and salt into a bowl.Blend in the milk and mix into a smooth batter.Beat the egg and add into the batter.mix well.Dip slices of fruits ( your choice)in the batter and deep fry.

Baking Vegetables.

I love trying vegetables cooked in different modes.And my daughters are happiest,when I bake and caramalize the vegetables.When I bake them they relish the veggies so much that there wouldn't be anything remaining for the next day.
Vegetables like carrots,cauliflower,broccoli,zucchini,onions and tomatoes work well with this dish.

In a pan, I heated 2-3 tablespoon of oil,and added 1-2 teaspoon of ginger/garlic paste.When it was cooking for a minute ,I transfered all the washed and cut veggies into the pan.I also added a teaspoon each of some spices like curry powder,tumeric powder and chilly flakes .Next 3-4 tablespoon of tomato paste was mixed into the veggies that were being sauteed.Add 1/2 cup water and salt according to taste.Cook for a further 2-3 minutes remove from heat.

Transfer the sauteed vegetables into a baking dish.Drizzle a bit of olive oil and bake for about 15 minutes.Remove from the oven when the veggies begin to caramalize .

Bon Appetit!

Potato Contains Solanine

Another interesting article caught my attention today.I don't know, but you could have read it too.Reading through the  contents made me sick already.Who would have thought that the potato we have all grown in love with , has a disturbing  secret to reveal.Did you know that the green part of the potato is poisonous? The greenish hue of the potato namely the leaves,stem and green shades on the potato contains a natural toxin called solanine.This bitter  poisonous crystalline  alkaloid  is part of the plants defenses against insects,diseases and predators.These should be avoided at all costs.The article further mentions ' salonine develop in potatoes when  spuds are subjected to light or very cold or warm temperatures.It interferes with the  body's ability to use a particular chemical  that facilitates the transmission of impulses between cells' When eaten in large quantity ,it can cause vomiting,diarrhea,headaches, and even paralysis in the nervous system.The next time when cooking potatoes, discard any potatoes with green eyes,sprouts or greenish skins.

Curried potatoes

 Cooking With Potato

Germinating Seeds

My youngest had to do a class project.It was about germination.So I asked if how I could help him.I was so proud of him when he very carefully told me step by step what I should do to germinate some seeds.So with his guidance ,I planted some mustards seeds in a cantainer with some soiled cotton. The pictures above are the results after a couple of days. He even said that it looks good to make a salad out of it.