Sri Lankan Pol Roti

                                                A close resemblance to the chappatti

This is eaten for  breakfast  among the Sri Lankans. And Pol refers to coconut and in this recipe the coconut is finely scrapped before adding to the flour.Roti can be eaten with a fish curry or a variety of other side dishes.The most popular is the lunu miris sambol,a chutney made with red chillies,onions,lemon and salt.

                                                     Fish Curry-eaten with Roti
How to prepare the Roti
Ingredients
1/2 measure flour
1 Ib scrapped coconut
salt to taste
water to knead
Method
Mix  well the flour and the scrapped coconut.Add the salt and carefully add water  and knead until you get a soft dough.Divide the dough into small balls and flatten them with your hands or use a rolling pin.Bake the rotis in a flat pancake pan.Cook till both sides are done. 

                                                       

Baked Vegetables In Coconut Milk

It was  nearly lunch time and I was bored stiff  cooking the vegetables in the same mode.More over my vegetarian daughter preferred to eat her veggies baked rather than in the usual way  I cook.So I decided to do some baking and surprise my daughter when she came home from school.I rummaged through the refrigerator for some of her favourite veggies,fortunately I had some.

 All I needed to prepare this dish was  some vegetables like   zucchini,cauliflower florets , onions,green chiily/red chilly.To this I added some spices like : a little less than a teaspoon each of ,red chilly powder,turmeric and curry powder.And then added salt according to taste.I drizzled a bit of olive oil, about a tablespoon and placed the tray into an hot oven.
After about 15-20 minutes I removed from the oven and added some garlic paste and squeezed into it the juice of half a lemon .Mixed it gently and  put it back into the oven for about 5 minutes.Finally I added half a cup of coconut milk and a little more salt and let it simmer in the oven for a further five minutes .

It was still sizzling in the oven when my children returned from school.The aroma was irresistible  and I wasn't  surprised when they all said they were  hungry. 


This prepared  dish consists of 
3 zucchini
florets of a medium cauliflower
2 large onions cut coarsely
4-5 green/red chillies
Spices: chillie powder,turmeric powder, curry powder
salt
garlic
lemon juice


Enjoy making this dish with your favourite vegetables.Give it a try!
Tip: Steaming white rice makes a good accompaniment

How To Make Pancakes; A Step-by-Step Method

INGREDIENTS

1/2 pound flour

1 pint milk

2 eggs

Butter/Ghee/Oil for frying

A pinch of salt

PREPARATION

Put the flour into a bowl. Add the milk and salt. Mix it to a smooth batter. Add the eggs. Mix well. Let it stand for about half an hour. 

Heat the tawa (the flat frying pan.) *And apply a little butter. Pour a little pancake batter, maybe about 2 tablespoons and cook till both sides are slightly brown. (* You need to follow this for each pancake)

This is delicious with sugar syrup, maple syrup but my children love it with treacle, a syrup made with juggary.

PANCAKES

TREACLE

Who Can Resist Junk ?

 My seven year old posing with his favourite food...

              “It requires a certain kind of mind to see beauty in a hamburger bun.”

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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Garden Salad

The colors of a fresh garden salad are so extraordinary,no painter's pallet can duplicate natures artistry


- Dr Sun Wolf-

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

Yoghurt And Mint Sauce

Yoghurt And Mint Sauce

This sauce goes well with my savory snack Bread Fritters that I posted earlier.There is not much of ingredients to prepare this.And also it not time consuming.The sauce could be prepared a day earlier and refrigerated.It is extraordinarily tasty with the fritters right from the frying pan.

You Will Need                       

150 grams yoghurt
A handful of mint leaves washed well
2-3 green chillies
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
salt to taste


Method


Finely chop the mint leaves and the green chillies and blend it well with the yoghurt.Squeeze in the lemon juice and add salt according to taste. 

                       Mint leaves and  green chillies chopped

                              
                               Serve with  delicious bread fritters

Pass Me The Melon Please

Watermelon is a fruit which has low calorie content. It is very filling and also nourishing. This giant fruit can be eaten in chunks or in form of juice as refreshments. If you are a weight-watcher, this is an ideal fruit for you as it has no fat and has high fibre. It also has great anti-oxidants that helps you ward off illnesses. The best thing about  this fruit is that you can eat this during breakfast, lunch, dinner and even as a dessert. It makes an ideal food to pack when you and your family go on  picnics during summertime.

I used a little of my creativity to make this glass of watermelon juice. 

Serving Arabic Coffee

Arabs love their coffee slightly spiced and unfiltered. Cardamoms and saffron is added to give flavor and a golden sheen. These spices add a strong flavour and enhance the taste. Coffee is brewed in a pot commonly known as  a 'Dallah' and poured into tiny cups called 'Fenjen'. There are some strict etquettes that needs to be followed  when serving coffee to guests. The host/hostess has to personally hand over each tiny cup to their guests. Holding the coffee pot with the left hand, the host/hostess then pours the coffee and serve it with their right hand. And when the guests want a refill, he/she will have to move or rock the cup slowly in a jiggling motion.

To make Arabic coffee  you will need:
3 cups water
2 tbsp ground decaffeinated coffee
3 tbsp cardamom (coarsely ground)
1/4 tsp saffron

Method
Add the coffee to hot  water and bring to a boil over low heat thus allowing the coffee grounds to settle. Add cardamoms and saffron and boil again just before serving. This type of coffee is taken strong without any additives like sugar, milk or cream. However accompaniments like dates and sweets are served alongside the coffee.

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 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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