Lotus root is a well-known vegetable in Asia – in Sri Lanka we use it for curry and in soup. In London, lotus root is not so easy to find (except in Asian supermarkets) but if you can get hold of it please do try this recipe (my own!). It is full of nutrition and also very tasty.
INGREDIENTS
250g lotus root (cleaned and sliced)
2 medium tomatoes (diced)
I onion (chopped)
2 garlic cloves (chopped)
2 green chilli (sliced)
3 sprigs curry leaves
1 inch cinnamon stick
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 turmeric powder
1/2 mustard seeds
1 tbs olive oil
1 cup coconut milk
Salt to taste
METHOD
Mix the curry powder with the sliced lotus roots and keep to one side. Heat the oil in a pan and add garlic, onion, curry leaves, chilli, cinnamon and mustard sees. Cook for about five minutes or until the aromas come out. Then add the lotus roots, tomatoes and salt and mix together. Cover and slow cook for about 10 minutes then add the coconut milk. Simmer on a low flame, check the seasoning. When the gravy is absorbed into the vegetable, remove from the heat (make sure no to overcook). If you like, sprinkle with half a teaspoon of roasted curry powder. Serve with rice or bread.
Jack seed curry is a well-known Sri Lankan dish. I still remember Mum making this with fresh jack seeds, full of flavour. A pure vegetarian dish, you can make it for lunch or dinner instead of fish or meat curry.
INGREDIENTS
30 jack seeds with shell
1 big onion (chopped)
4 garlic cloves (chopped)
2 tbs chopped fresh ginger
4 green chilli (sliced)
4 sprigs of curry leaves
2 tbs raw rice (pan roasted and ground)
3 tbs scraped coconut (pan roasted and ground)
3 small pieces dried bridle berry (goraka)
1 piece of cinnamon
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 mustard powder
1 1/2 tbs roasted curry powder
1 tbs chilli powder
1/2 black pepper powder
2 tbs vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups water
2 cups coconut milk
Salt
METHOD
Roughly crush the jack seeds. Heat the oil in a pan, add garlic, ginger,onion, chilli, cinnamon and curry leaves and cook until the aromas come out. Then add all spices, roasted coconut and rice powder. Add the jack seeds and water, mix well and cover and cook until they are soft. Then add the coconut milk, check the seasoning and simmer until the jack seeds absorb the flavours. Serve with boiled rice or bread. For best results use a clay pot.
In SriLanka we use the same recipe for different varieties of green leaves and raw jackfruit – it’s very popular with authentic rice and curry. I hope you will enjoy my own recipe with broccoli, I even managed to find a broccoli flower for garnish.
INGREDIENTS
300g broccoli
4 tbs fresh coconut
2 sprigs of curry leaves
2 red or green chillis
1/2 onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic
1 tbs ginger
1 tsp mustard powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 black pepper seeds
1 tbs lime juice
Salt
3 tbs water
METHOD
Shred the green part of the broccoli, transfer into a pan with water. Cover and cook on a low flame until the water disappears. Grind the coconut with the rest of the ingredients and mix with the broccoli (I use a pestle and mortar but you could use a food processor). Cook for a few minutes, then remove from the heat. Add the lime juice, serve with rice.
Everyone seems to love my Sri Lankan style bread pudding. I haven’t used any butter or cream, so it’s very healthy. I have packed it full of interesting ingredients (such as pistachio, chocolate chips and berries), so it’s extremely tasty!
INGREDIENTS
6 slices of leftover bread (soaked in milk)
3 eggs (beaten)
1 1/2 cup milk
3 tbs sugar
150g mixed frozen berries
50g chocolate chips
50g raisins
2 tbs pistachio paste
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
1 tbs lemon zest
1 tbs lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
METHOD
Heat the oven to 180*. In a bowl mix the soaked bread and the other ingredients together. Transfer the mixture in to a ovenproof bowl and bake for about 20 25 minutes. Check it is cooked with a wooden skewer in middle – if it comes out clean, it’s cooked. Serve with vanilla ice cream, or as it is.
In Sri Lanka you can find several varieties of mushrooms. When you mix mushrooms with vegetables you get a great flavour, inspiring me to create this hearty vegetarian dish. It has become a firm favourite among my friends and family, and I hope you enjoy it too.
INGREDIENTS
250g mushrooms (cleaned and cut)
100g onion (chopped)
2 cloves of garlic (chopped)
1 leek (washed and chopped)
200g broccoli (parboiled)
150g brussels sprouts (clean and par boiled)
2 tbs olive oil
1 tbs crushed chilli flakes
Salt
METHOD
Heat the oil in a pan, add the garlic, onion, and chilli. Cook until golden brown, then add the mushrooms and cook until soft. Then add the other vegetables and mix well. Check the seasoning then remove from the heat. Make sure not to overcook the green vegetables so they keep their crunchiness and nutritional content. You can serve this dish with rice or bread.
Vegetarian finger food is very popular in Sri Lanka, especially cutlets. I am happy to share with you my own version of vegetable cutlets – they are lovely before a meal, and have had lots of great comments from friends.
INGREDIENTS
100g diced butternut (seedless and skinless)
100g leeks (washed and finely sliced)
1 red capsicum (seeded and finely chopped)
100g boiled red lentils
2 green chillies (finely chopped)
4 sprigs curry leaves (finely chopped)
2 garlic cloves (chopped)
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp cumin and coriander powder
1 tbs lime juice
2 eggs
100g fresh bread crumbs
Oil for deep frying
Salt to taste
METHOD
Mix all the ingredients together with spices and seasoning. Take equally-sized amounts of the mixture and mould each into a ball. Beat eggs in a bowl and dip the balls into egg mixture, then coat with bread crumbs. Heat the oil and deep fry the cutlets until golden brown (the oil should be deep enough to cover the cutlets). Drain excess oil on paper towels. Serve as snack, or with rice and curry.
In Sri Lanka we have many varieties of beans available throughout the year. In London, I managed to get hold of yellow, green and purple beans to make my favourite curry. I hope you will all love it!
INGREDIENTS
300g mixed colour beans
1 big onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 green chillies, sliced
3 sprigs of curry leaves
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp raw curry powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2 tbs vegetable oil
1/2 cup coconut milk
Salt to taste
METHOD
Remove the stems and threads from sides of beans and wash. Break each bean by hand into three pieces. Heat the oil in a pan and add the onion, garlic, curry leaves, chillies and spices. Cook until you get the aroma. Add the beans and mix well, cover and cook for 5 minutes only on a slow flame. Then add the coconut milk, check the seasoning and cook uncovered for another 7 minutes (don’t overcook or the beans will become discoloured). Remove from the heat, serve with rice.
In Sri Lanka ridge gourds are available throughout year. They are low in saturated fat, cholesterol and calories and quite easy to cook. A delicate vegetable, I hope you enjoy this pure vegetarian mild curry.
INGREDIENTS
250g ridge gourd, peeled and cut into thick slices
150g potato, peeled and sliced
1 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup water
1/2 lime juice
1 onion chopped
2 green chilli, sliced
1 garlic cloves, chopped
2 sprigs of curry leaves
1 piece of pandan leaf (rampa)
1 piece of cinnamon
1 tsp raw curry powder
1/4 tsp black pepper powder
1 tsp mustard seeds, pan toasted and ground
Salt to taste
METHOD
In a pan put the half cup of water together with the potatoes and all other ingredients except for the mustard powder, coconut milk and lime juice*. Cover and cook 8-10 minutes. When the potatoes are cooked, add the ridge gourd and coconut milk, cook for 8 minutes stirring occasionally. Do no overcook. Remove from the heat, add the lime juice and mustard powder and check the seasoning. Serve with rice.
*Do not put the lime juice in until very end or the curry will curdle
From 1640 until 1796, Sri Lanka was under Dutch rule. The Dutch Burghers (an ethnic group of mixed Dutch, Portuguese Burghers and Sri Lankan descent) came up with this delicacy known as lamprais (or lump rice). The dish consists of two special curries (three meat curry and ash plantain and aubergine), sambal belacan, tuna balls, deep fried egg and rice – wrapped up in a banana leaf. Whenever I go to Sri Lanka I always remember to taste this!
I made this recently for my loving friends who live in London. It came out nicely, full of many flavours that they had not tasted before. I got lots of good comments, so I thought I would share it with you here.
INGREDIENTS
500g suduru samba rice (in Europe you can use Ponni boiled rice, easily available in Asian shops)
6 cups boiling water
50g ghee or butter
2 chicken stock cubes
Spice bundle (2 tbs whole cardamom, cloves, black pepper, star anise and 2 bay leaves wrapped in muslin)
1 cinnamon stick
2 dried limes
2 onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tbs ginger root, chopped
2 lemon grass, chopped
1 piece rampa (pandan leaf)
Pinch of saffron
Banana leaves (for the parcel) (available from Asian groceries)
METHOD
Heat the ghee or butter in a pan, add the garlic, ginger and onion and cook 4-5 minutes until the fragrance comes out. Then add the rice and mix well. Add the water, stock cubes, spice bunch and saffron. Cover and simmer until the rice is cooked. When cooked, remove the spice bundle.
Shrimp Sambal Belacan
INGREDIENTS
3 tbs crushed chilli
100g dried skinless shrimps (roasted)
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2 tbs ginger root, roughly chopped
1 tbs olive oil
2 tbs lime juice
1 tsp sugar
Salt to taste
Deep-fried Boiled Eggs
Boil eggs for 8 minutes, remove the shells and deep fry in vegetable oil until golden brown.
METHOD
Heat the oil in a pan, put all the ingredients in together and cook for 4-5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let it cool down. Pound together, and add sugar, lime and salt. Check the seasoning and keep on one side.
Assembly
To assemble the rice parcels, soften the banana leaves over a flame. Arrange two leaves one across the other in a shallow bowl and put three serving spoons of steamed rice in the centre. Arrange some of the three meat curry, deep-fried boiled egg, shrimp belacan and two tuna balls around the rice (see picture at the top of this post). Fold the banana leaves over the filling to enclose then secure with toothpicks. Repeat with the remaining leaves and filling. When you are ready to serve, heat the oven to 170*. Place the parcels on a baking tray, making sure the opening is at the top. Bake for 12 minutes until the banana leaves start to turn brown. Remove from the oven, place a parcel on a plate and let your guests open them at the table – savouring the delicious aromas!
Three meat curry is one the main ingredients for lump rice (recipe to follow). However, it is delicious with string hoppers, rice or bread.
INGREDIENTS
250g skinless chicken, diced
250g lamb or mutton, diced
250g pork, diced
1 tsp allspice
1 tbs roasted curry powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbs crushed chilli
1 tbs crushed black pepper
1 tbs tamarind paste
2 cups hot water
1 tbs coconut vinegar
1 tbs vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
2 green chillies, sliced
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tbs ginger root, chopped
2 sprigs curry leaves
1 piece of lemon grass, crushed
1 cinnamon stick
Salt to taste
METHOD
Marinade the meat in a bowl with the spices, tamarind, vinegar and salt. Set a side for a half and hour. Heat the oil in a pan, add the garlic, ginger, onion, lemon grass, cinnamon, curry leaves and green chillies. Mix well and cook until the onions are golden brown. Next add the meat mixture, combine everything together and add the hot water. Cover and cook for about 20 minutes on a slow flame, stirring constantly until the gravy becomes thick and the meat has absorbed the flavours. Check the seasoning. Remove the cinnamon stick and lemon grass before serving.
