Butter Chicken

Today I borrowed a recipe from the internet.I was getting quite  bored cooking chicken my way for quite sometime now.Although I know to cook butter chicken I wanted to try a recipe totally different from what I am usually accustomed too.Hence for a change I tried chef Vah's  butter chicken recipe.You can find the recipe here,which can be easily understood.Unfortunately I didnt have a few ingredients like full cream and garam masala but yet the final product looked good and tasted extraordinarily delicious.Since I didn't have the ingredient called  for in his recipe ,I did use  a substitute.I added  milk powder to the chicken curry instead  of full cream.

If you cannot find cream,go ahead and add milk powder to your butter chicken and  enjoy the distinct taste.Add  a few tablespoons of milk powder to a cup of boiling water ,mix it well and then stir it into the butter chicken  and continue cooking in slow heat till the stipulated time.

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)

How to pamper your taste buds

How we eat is just as crucial as what we eat. That is what I learnt a few days ago while reading an attention-grabbing feature in the Readers Digest. It got me deeply absorbed in the interesting explanation on how we all have a propensity to be imprecise on  the aspect  of eating. This is typically experienced during the festive season when we find ourselves in the midst of a throng of people. At a gathering we could finish a whole plate of food while our concentration is focused entirely on the conversation and  not  on our meal. And then we stare at our empty plate in doubt wondering if we had really eaten it. Given that our attention was more towards the conversation, we were not aware what was shoved into our mouth. As a result we will be consuming more calories. On the other hand, if we eat with awareness we  are more likely to  enjoy the food  with a minimum amount  of calories.
Moreover I was amazed ,reading further into the article, which elaborated how to draw out  maximum pleasure from the food we eat. Take this for instance, when eating a piece of chocolate, pay attention to   the flavors and the texture and take note how they transform as the chocolate melts  in the mouth. Even after  the chocolate has been ingested our taste buds just mull over the sweet essence that take place in the next few minutes.
On the whole, this particular magazine feature  taught me to be mindful of what I eat and  pay close attention to my meal by using all of my senses , whilst  observing the combination of the beautiful colors, the different textures and the extensive assortment that assemble in my plate. And prior to pushing a morsel hurriedly down my throat ,I am encouraged to take a few seconds to inhale intensely the aromas released from the food, appreciate and enjoy the moment. With that perception sharply penetrated in my mind, I succumb to my plate of delicacies.
My tastes buds are already getting tantalized with this scrumptious array of vegetables assembled on my plate.

A typical sri Lankan Meal

A healthy meal - cooked in Sri Lankan style

Cauliflower Tuna Cutlets

This is an easy to make savoury dish.An all time favourite of the young and the old.Instead of the usual potato I added cauliflower .It has a distinct flavour and an earthy taste.This dish is usually in  the spotlight during  family occasions.There's also a reason for me to switch the usual ingredient (potato) from this recipe mainly due to the fact that my husband is on a special needs diet and has been advised by his doctor to avoid potatoes due to its high potassium level.This is also a great recipe for diabetics as cauliflower does nt raise the sugar levels.

Cauliflower Tuna  Cutlets

400gms  tuna fish (canned)
A medium cauliflower ( boiled and cooled )
2 big onions chopped
3 green chilies chopped
3 cloves of garlic chopped
A piece of ginger chopped
A tsp cumin seed
1 tsp pepper seed
1 tsp curry powder
½ tsp turmeric powder
A few coriander leaves
1 carrot chopped
Juice of one small lemon/lime
Salt to taste.
Oil for frying ( I used N-Joy oil)

For coating the cutlets
2-3 eggs
breadcrumbs

Method for preparing the cutlets
Transfer the canned tuna into a bowl. ( discard the liquid).
Pound the garlic,ginger,cumin and black pepper seeds ,set aside.
Heat a tablespoon of oil in a nonstick pan.
Cook the onions till tender.
Stir in all the pounded ingredients and cook for 1-2 minutes.
Add the green chilly and the chopped carrot.Saute for another minute.
Stir in  the turmeric and curry powder
Now add the tuna, separate the pieces gently and mash with a spatula. Add the lemon juice and salt and mix the coriander leaves.
Transfer this curried mixture into a big bowl and set aside to cool.
Next, remove cauliflower florets ,squeeze out the water and add to the curried tuna .Mix well

Now follow the instructions  below

Using fingers,make  medium sized round patties.Place in the refrigerator for ½ hour.

For Coating the cutlets - Remove the cutlets from fridge.Beat the eggs.Dip the cutlets  in beaten eggs and coat with breadcrumbs.Fry in hot oil

Garden Salad

A refreshing bowl of salad can be made with vegetables picked  from your garden and when you know how to put together some delicious vegetables and make a basic garden salad, you can add your own twist to it. Vegetables like tomatoes,onions,carrots and radish add taste and colour to the salad.If you are health conscious and counting calories you can eat it as it is or else add your favourite dressing to it and enjoy a scrumptious bowl of pure goodness.

A  meal is not complete without a bowl or a plate of salad.Some love to eat salad anytime and on its own whilst others prefer to add a good amount of protein like chicken or meat. Some vegetables that can be used in your salad :
A combo of salad leaves like iceburg lettuce, romaine lettuce,Cucumber,Onions,Carrots,Raddish,Celery ribs


Here is my plate of salad made  with colourful bell peppers,salad leaves,and cucumber.

I made a dressing with buffalo curd, chopped onions,green chillies,salt and a squeeze of lemon juice and I enjoyed every bite.  crunch,crunch,nom,nom