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 

Coconut Almond Bars

Recently when my eldest visited us from Dubai, I made her a sweet made from scratch to take back home. Since the ingredients were available in my pantry there was no need to rush to the store.  This is my very own creation and I am glad it turned out well.

Ingredients
2 cups freshly grated coconut
1 cup almond powder
1 cup sugar
4 tablespoon water
1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoon sliced almond
A drop each of almond essense, vanilla essense and rose water
1/2 teaspoon cardomom powder
A drop of food colouring (according to your preferences)

Method
Lightly butter a cookie tray and set aside
In a pan, add the water and sugar and let it boil slowly till it turns into a syrup.
Add the coconut, cardomom powder, almond essense and vanilla essense and cook for a few minutes
Next add the almond powder and keep stirring
Add a drop  of food coloring for colour and mix well
Add the condensed milk and almond slices
Continue stirring until the mixture leaves the sides of the pan.
Pour the mixture into the greased tray
Cover with cling film and smoothen it with a rolling pin
Allow to cool
Cut into squares and refrigerate until firm.          

DAIRY FREE AND GLUTEN FREE PANCAKE AND MUFFINS

Pancakes are ideal for breakfast and the children love it very much. Despite it being a messy task, I love making it. It's funny but quite true that it's almost as though the utensils used are more than the ingredients itself. By the time I wash the dirty pile of utensils and settle down to eat the pancakes, I'm exhausted. But then the other day to my greatest surprise, I found a very unique kitchen hack on youtube. It shows how to make pancakes using only a bottle and a funnel. All you have to do is pour the pancake ingredients one by one into the bottle through the funnel. Tightly close the lid and shake the bottle vigorously till you get everything into a batter consistency. Then heat a non stick crepe pan and make your pancakes.

We recently discovered that our second daughter is gluten sensitive - along with being lactose intolerant. I had to do a lot of research through the internet so that I would know what type of meal I could prepare for her. I experimented with all sorts of flours and milks but nothing seemed to work. It was not until today that, as a first attempt, I tried my hands on corn meal. And I am happy to state that it came out quite well. I used the bottle technique to make pancake batter with cornflour.
In addition to her lactose and gluten intolerances, she had also been avoiding eggs as it caused her abdominal discomfort and bloating. However, through my online findings, I have read that eating egg as it is can cause those problems but incorporating with other ingredients may alleviate it. So I decided to add them as well into the pancake batter. And thank God, she did not experience any side effects.
I also made a syrup with jaggery: made using a sweet substance from palm trees.

Ingredients for cornflour pancake
1 cup corn flour
1 cup almond milk
salt to taste
1/2 tsp baking soda and I added a little water to make it a batter consistency

Method
I used the bottle technique as mentioned above.


Blue berry Muffins  were made using the corn flour pancake recipe .

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

No Bake Pomegranate Cheese Cake

Pomegranate Cheese Cake (no bake)

Ingredients

For crust:

2 cups crushed biscuits

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter melted

For the Cheese cake

1 sachet (.25 oz.) unflavored gelatin

1/2 cup cold milk

2 pkgs. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup yoghurt

1 cup icing sugar

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, (whipped)

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For garnishing -pomegranate seeds

Method

1. Combine crushed biscuits and butter in a bowl .Mix well. Firmly press onto bottom of a spring form pan. Dissolve gelatin in warm water. Let it stand for a minute.
2. Beat cream cheese, yoghurt and icing sugar in a mixer bowl until fluffy. Mix in the gelatin,lemon zest and vanilla extract.Gently fold in the whipped cream. Remove the crust from refrigerator and pour the cheese cream mixture onto crust. Chill again for about 4 hours or until firm. Remove side of springform pan.
3. Garnish with pomegranate seeds.Serve and Enjoy

Okra Curry

We all love Okra in all forms.This is an easy recipe which will definitely impress the whole family.

Ingredients

200 gram okra

1 tablespoon ginger/garlic paste

a) 1 teaspoon coriander powder

b) 1 teaspoon curry powder

c )½ turmeric powder teaspoon

d) ½ teaspoon chilly flakes

 1 tomato  finely sliced

¼ teaspoon mustard seed

½ teaspoon fennel seed

A few curry leaves

1 cup coconut milk

2 tablespoon oil

Salt to taste

Par boiled cauliflower  4-5 florets (optional)

Preparation:

Wash okra and drain  then set aside.Heat oil in pan and fry the onions till light golden.Add the ginger,garlic,mustard seed and the fennel seeds and fry for 2 minutes.Now mix in  the  spices ( a,b,c,d) and stir well.Add the okra and fry slightly.Mix in the sliced tomatoes and cook till the okra and tomato softens.Add the curry leaves and salt to taste.At this stage you can add the boiled cauliflower( optional) Cover with a lid and cook till the vegetable get tender.Add coconut milk and simmer for a few minutes.

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Cooking Vegetables

Basically all the vegetables cooked at home are prepared in the same way.The basic ingredients will be onion,garlic,curry leaves,mustard seeds,curry powder,turmeric powder,coconut milk.Optional ingredients would be Maldive fish flakes and tomato.Ingredients  could be adjustable and should be used according to preference and taste.You could increase the quantity of the ingredients accordingly.Increasing or decreasing the amount of spices  depends on  your taste buds

For  cooking vegetables this is the procedure that I follow-Sautee onion with a little oil,add crushed garlic,chilly flakes,mustard seed curry leaves.Mix in the  curry powder and turmeric.(If you want to add the optional ingredients ,do it at this stage and cook till soft).Put the desired vegetable and add a little water.Salt to taste.Cook till tender.Add thick coconut milk.Simmer and serve with rice and curry.

Sweet potato

Beet Root

Green Beans

Drum Stick

Low Fat Dessert

Being a diabetic,I decided to create a dessert so that it  will not bring about a spike in my sugar levels.This is a low fat,low  carb dessert,which I created recently.I used jaggery and date paste for mild sweetness.It is very light and healthy.All the same,eating in moderation is recommended.

Ingredients

^{10 gram  agar agar china moss/grass}

1 litre low fat milk

½ cup jaggery scrapped

1 cup date paste

½ tsp cardamom powder

A few nuts shredded ( optional)

1 1/2  cups water

Preparation

Wash and soak the china grass in water.Add milk and bring to a boil.Mix in the jaggery,date paste,cardomom.Keep stirring till the jaggery melts.Strain the contents into a pudding dish.Sprinkle shredded nuts.(optional) Keep in refrigerator to cool Cut into squares or desired shape and enjoy.

Spicy Gotukola Porridge

This is a herbal porridge eaten during breakfast.This is usually made without any spice and eaten plain or with a piece of jaggery.I made my own twist to this divine porridge by adding up some spice.This porridge is commonly known as Kola Kenda. This also could be made with a mixture of leafy greens.Kola kenda is known to boost the immune system.

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked red rice

1 cup Gotu Kola (centella leaves)

1 ½ cups  thick  coconut milk

3  cups Water

1 Teaspoon  chopped ginger

1 pod  chopped garlic

½ juice of  Lemon

Salt to taste

½  teaspoon chilly flake

¼ teaspoon fenugreek ( methi) seeds

Method

Wash Rice.Add  garlic,ginger,fenugreek seeds,chilly flakes and salt and boil with 2 cups of water.

Blend gotu kola leaves  using 1 cup of water ( strain the juice  and keep aside)

When the Rice is cooked,stir in the  coconut milk and  the gotukola juice and bring it to a boil.

Season with  lemon juice.

* Once the porridge cooled I   pureed  the  porridge in a blender. 

Coconut Cake ( Bibikkan)

Bibikkan is  a delicious, dark moist cake made of shredded coconut, jaggery,dry fruits and semolina. It has got a very distinct taste and savoured by most foodies  in my country.This wonderful sweet treat was apparently introduced to Sri Lanka during the Dutch/Portuguese  rule.It is very  popular during the festive season.Recently I took an effort to make  this delicious delight from scratch.Due to Diabetes  my husband and I need  to  keep our sugar levels  under control, hence it was   essential to make a few changes in the recipe.Therefore I  omitted the jaggery and used treacle and date paste and also left out the   sugary  ginger preserves winter melons and the candied peel, which the original recipe called  for and substituted with unsweetened  dry fruits and the zest of citrus to cater to our taste.Regardless it turned out fabulous.

 Ingredients

40 ml  bottle of treacle

2 cups shredded coconut

50 g semolina  slightly roasted 

50 gram whole wheat flour

1 cup dates  chopped  

½ teaspoon fennel  crushed

2-3  cardamom crushed

50 g cashew nuts

1  cup  dry friuts/prunes,raisins( (chopped)

2 eggs

1 tablespoon mixed lemon/orange zest

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Extra cashew nuts for decoration (optional)

Method

Mix the coconut with the treacle ( I also used  1/2 cup of date paste). Stir in the semolina, dates, fennel, cardamom, the dry fruits,lemon/orange zest, cashew nuts, salt, baking powder and cinnamon.

Separate the egg white and york. Beat it separately and fold into the mixture.Now pour the contents into  a greased baking tray(9 inch*12 inch).Decorate with cahew nuts (optional).Bake in a moderate oven (160°C ) for 2 hours.Cool completely and cut.

*If you are using jaggery ,melt the jaggery in 375 ml water in a pan, add the coconut and  set aside to cool and then mix in the rest of the ingredients.

This can be wrapped individually and  stored in an airtight container in the freezer for later use.

Please note-This particular coconut cake (Bibikkan) was prepared to suit a diabetic's palate,using,treacle,date paste and whole wheat flour.There is an original recipe for this specialty cake using a varied of ingredients.

My Nutella Story

Nutella is celebrating 50 years of sweetness.Share your story and win a Nutella® gift-box! It’s so easy to participate: share your best story with Nutella® - you can  submit a picture,a video or a written story.The Nutella®Team will choose their favourite story from the submissions and  chose it  to be the “Story of the week”.If you are that lucky winner, you will receive the gift-box and your story will be displayed on the Home page of Nutella during a whole week.  Hurry Up! Don't you want to share your delicious story with the rest of the world? Then why are you waiting ? Go  participate! 

Submit your story here. My Nutella story

Here's my Nutella Story book

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.

Savoury Chicken Buns

This is an easy to make recipe.I have used chicken to stuff the buns but a meat of your choice or even  fish too could be used in the filling.You could also make the filling a day ahead and refrigerate.I know there's plenty of smiles in my home when  the aroma  of freshly  baked buns wafts through my kitchen door.

Ingredients for the buns

3 cups all purpose flour 2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast 2 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoon sugar 1 tablespoon powder milk  3 tablespoon oil  1 ½ cups lukewarm water

Method -In a large bowl mix all the dry ingredients and then add the oil and water ( use the water little by little till you get the correct consistency) and knead it to a soft dough.It should feel smooth and elastic to the touch.If its too wet add a little flour and knead again.Grease another bowl and place the dough in it covering with cling film or cloth and leave it to activate in a warm place.When it doubles the size in 1-2 hours,Divide the dough into golf size balls .Flatten out each ball into a small tortilla/chapatti.Place approximately 1 and  ½  tablespoons of filling in one end ( edge ) of the tortilla/chapatti Roll over once, tuck in the sides, and then continue rolling. Seal the top.Leave to rise again for 15 minutes. Glaze the buns with egg yolks Then bake it in a pre heated oven at 350F for approximately 25 minutes

You can make a dozen or more  buns

For the filling ..

250 grams boiled chicken (shredded )

1  large potato boiled and mashed

1 onion chopped

1 tomato chopped

2-3  cloves of garlic,/ a piece of ginger

2 green chillies chopped

*½  tsp back pepper powder,

*1 tsp curry powder

*¼  tsp cumminpowder

(* you can adjust the spices according to your preference)

2 tablespoon oil

A few coriander leaves chopped

A little  lemon juice to taste

salt to taste

Method -Heat 2 tablespoon of oil in a pan and sauté the onions till light brown.Ad garlic/ginger green chillies and the spices and cook for few minutes. Add the chopped tomato.Cook till soft.Next stir in the shredded chicken and mix it well ( break the shredded chicken as you mix).Add salt according to take.Once cooled.Mix the mashed potato and the coriander leaves. (the filling has to be dry)

Okra Cooked Two Ways

Okra sambol 

Ingredients

500 g okra medium size

2 onion sliced

A piece of ginger chopped

3 cloves garlic chopped

1 tomato chopped

A dessertspoon  mustard seeds.

A sprig of curry leaves

1 1/2  teaspoon chilly powder or chilly  flakes ( you can add more  or reduce the amount)

3-4 tablespoons  tomato paste.

Oil for frying

Salt to taste

Method

Wash the  okra, pat dry and fry them in oil. Drain them in a paper towel and set aside while you prepare the sambol.

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( except for the tomato and the tomato paste) and cook for a further few minutes.Now you may add the chopped  tomato and cook it till soft.Now stir in the tomato paste and mix it well. Add the fried okra ,fold it well with the onion mixture.Enjoy with a plate of rice and curry.

Okra With Coconut Milk-Use the  same  ingredients as above  but instead of the tomato paste use 3/4 cup coconut milk,which you will add in the final process.

For more Okra recipe  -Okra in spicy coconut sauce

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Spicy Beef Curry

Spicy Beef Curry Without Coconut Milk-

Ingredients

1 pound beef washed and cut into cubes

1 big red onion sliced 

2 green chillies sliced

1 large tomato cut in small  chunks

4-5 cloves of garlic crushed 

1/2 inch ginger finely sliced

1-2 tablespoon curry powder

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

A  few curry leaves

A piece of lemon grass

2-3 tablespoon tomato paste

1/2 teaspoon cummin seed

1 cup water

2 tablespoon oil

Salt to taste

1 tablespoon vinegar

Juice of 1 Lime/lemon

Method

Heat oil in a pan. Brown the beef slightly. Remove and keep aside.In the same pan,add cumin seed and sauté  the onions,green chillies,garlic and the ginger until it turns pale in colour. Throw in the tomato chunks and cook it till soft.Add into it  the curry  leaves, turmeric powder  and curry powder.Stir it well.Now add the browned  beef,vinegar and water.Add salt to taste.Cook for another 5-10 minutes.Reduce  heat ,allow to simmer. Now mix in the  tomato paste and the lime/lemon juice.Keep the pan covered.It will take an hour depending on the quantity.Add more water if needed.Turn off heat.

Serve with steaming rice and a crunchy salad  or with a variety of vegetables.

Brinjal Sambol

Brinjal sambol

4 medium brinjals

2 onion sliced

A piece of ginger chopped

3 cloves garlic chopped

1 tomato

A dessertspoon  mustard seeds.

A sprig of curry leaves

1 1/2  teaspoon chilly powder or chilly  flakes ( you can add more  or reduce the amount)

¼  teaspoon cinnamon powder (optional)

3-4 tablespoons  tomato paste.

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 sambol

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. Add the fried brinjals ,fold it with the onion sambol/mixture  and  leave it covered .Enjoy with a plate of rice and curry. 

How To Make Tuna Fish Cutlet

After frying

Before frying

You will need

4 (100 gm) canned tuna fish

2 medium potatoes( boiled and cooled )

3 big onions chopped

3 green chilies

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

For coating the cutlets

*Make a batter with a little flour,water and 2 eggs.Beat it well. The batter should not be thin.

*breadcrumbs

Method for preparing:

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, mash the boiled potatoes and add to the curried tuna .Mix well

Tuna mixed with  all the ingredients

Now follow this  instructions  

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 cutlets  in batter and coat with breadcrumbs.Fry in hot oil till golden brown.Makes about 20-25 cutlets.( depends on the size)

A Healthy Alternative To Frying

No more spills and splatters

   

Made the juiciest and crispiest chicken 

Cooking with Tefal actifryer  is a better alternative to fry your food.With only a spoon of oil you can make the crispiest food that you have ever imagined.What's more it’s a lot more easier and less messier.No more spills and splatters when you deep fry your food. The actifryer is an awesome  appliance that fries your food with only a push of a button and once it’s done it will beep to say its ready for the table.I must admit,I was a bit hesitant at the beginning when  a friend suggested that I use one.After giving it a hard thought I decided to go for it.However after  my husband purchased one  for me I was pondering whether it was  a wise choice. Untouched ,I left this appliance to idle in the box.Whenever my husband, children and friends asked me when I was going to make use of it. I gave them many excuses and  left it at that. In an unfortunate twist of fate, my husband fell ill and was  advised to a strict diet with less oil .This left me with no option but to go ahead and use the air fryer.I am glad I did .With only a spoon or sometimes with no oil ,the food has always come out delicious and my husband and the whole family is relishing every bit of the   food that is  being served on their plates.Moreover they are absolutely healthy. And I am one proud and happy housewife who has wholeheartedly accepted and embraced the Tefal actifryer into my kitchen.

Mushroom Soup

I love mushroom soup but I have never taken the trouble of making it from scratch.When the need arises to indulge in a delicious soup,I immediately go for the  ready mix packet that I keep stored in my shelf  for quick a  preparation.However I add a little bit of extra ingredients into it  to make it  scrumptious and have a home made effect.

I open a can  of mushrooms and  drain off  the liquid in it.Then heat  some butter in  pan and saute  sliced onions and garlic and ginger.Once it is cooked,a  little  pepper is added and kept aside till I prepare the broth.In another pan I stir the ready mix packet with water, the amount of water to be used is given in the packet instructions.When it is boiling,I throw the cooked mushroom mixture into it.Then I keep stirring  constantly and lastly  season it with salt.That’s my version of home made mushroom soup with the help of the ready mix packet.

The other day when we went to a restaurant for dinner I ordered mushroom soup.It was outrageously delicious.