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

Making Kothu At Home

Kothu roti ,meaning chopped roti ,is a Sri Lankan dish made from Godhamba roti  ( wheat roti). Kothu can be found in  restaurants  in  all parts of Sri Lanka and is usually eaten for dinner.It is relished among the young especially during parties. You can enjoy  a variety of kothus with ingredients like beef and chicken  added according to your taste. Even vegetarians,like my second daughter gets  to indulge in the vegetable kothu ,with vegetables like spring onions,carrots and cabbages added.  In recent times, Cheese kothu also has been introduced in the menu  by  kothu enthusiasts.

Routinely the kothu is made  on a large hot iron surface ,exclusively  used  for  mixing  the various ingredients to assemble  the  kothu .Even from a distance ,you will know that the kothu is being prepared because of the unique sound the metal blades make, when cutting and mixing all the ingredients together.

Kothu can be made from scratch ie you make the rotis at home and then make the kothu or simply buy the  parathas  from the shop and assemble the kothu with the  other ingredients.I was wondering what to do with the  left over parathas( roti) from last nights dinner.So it was a good idea when  my husband asked me to make some kothu for dinner.The rest of the ingredients I had at home so it did n’t take much time to get the dinner fixed. Next time you have some left over parathas, don't hesitate to  try out this recipe and impress everyone at home, like I just did.

Preparing Kothu at home

4  parathas ( roti)  ( shredded)

1 big onion

2-3  green chillies

1 tsp  fennel seeds

1 tbspoon ginger slices

1 tbspoon garlic crushed

1 tomato chopped

½ tsp curry powder

1 tsp cumin powder

3-4  pieces of cooked chicken ( shredded)  with  gravy.( 1/2 cup)

2 eggs

A handful coriander leaves ( cilantro) chopped

Salt to taste

2 tablespoon oil.

Method

Heat oil in a tawa.Add fennel seeds .Then  add  the chopped  onion and cook until translucent. Next add ginger and  green chilies and cook for 1 minute, add the crushed garlic. Mix in  the curry powder, cumin powder  and the  tomatoe and cook  until soft. Add shredded Parathas  and cook until  the heat penetrates  all the way through. At this stage add the  shredded chicken and the gravy. Break the Eggs into the mixture and continuously  keep mixing till the eggs are completely cooked. Add salt to taste.

Toss the  Cilantro in and give it a final mix .Cover with a lid. Turn off the heat. Serve hot.( serves 3-4 persons)