Tortilla Bake with Chicken

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This is my own idea and recipe, which I first made for a lunch party for friends. I used chicken and creamy leeks, which came out really nicely, but you can do it as a pure vegetarian dish by substituting tempeh or just vegetables instead of the chicken. Or try seafood (just make sure not to overcook it).


INGREDIENTS 

8 sesame tortillas (or plain tortillas)

400g skinless boneless chicken (marinated with 1/2 lemon, 1 tbs crushed chilli, 1 tbs soya sauce, 2 tbs thyme, salt and pepper in 2 tbs olive oil)

250g leeks (sliced, washed and drained well)

I tin chopped tomato

2 tbs olive oil

1 onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, chopped

2 bay leaves

1 tbs sugar

50g sour cream

100g grated cheddar cheese

3 tbs chopped parsley

METHOD 

Heat the oil in a pan, add garlic and fry until golden brown. Then add onion and sauté until softened. Add the tomatoes, bay leaves, and sugar and cook on a low heat. When it starts simmering and oil appears on the top, add the salt and pepper until you are happy with the seasoning then remove from the heat.

Heat the oven 170*. Cook the chicken and allow to cool. Slice the cooked chicken roughly and mix with the sliced leeks. Roll the mixture up into the tortillas and arrange in an ovenproof dish, then pour over the tomato mixture and top with cheese.  Cook for 25 minutes, when the cheese melts and turns golden on top. Remove from the oven, add sour cream and parsley to finish.

Serve with a mix leaf salad.


© Ajith Perera. All rights reserved.

Meat Loaf

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My Dad used to make this meat loaf with three types of minced meat – lamb, pork and beef for special occasions. Recently I made this dish for my staff at the hotel using the same method but using only minced beef. It seemed to go down really well.

INGREDIENTS
1kg minced beef
200g onion (chopped)
250g fresh brown bread (crumbled)
3 garlic cloves (chopped)
3tbs English mustard paste
2tbs olive oil
1 tsp allspice powder
1 tbs crushed chilli
4 tbs chopped parsley, thyme, and oregano (dried)
Salt

METHOD

Heat the oven to 180*. Heat the oil in a pan, add garlic and fry until golden brown. Add the onion, mix together and cook for about 6-7 minutes. In a bowl combine the meat and onion mixture with the rest of the ingredients, mix well by hand. Line a tray with baking paper, shape the mixture into a loaf and bake for 25-30 minutes. Cool slightly and slice. Serve with gravy.


© Ajith Perera. All rights reserved.

Mixed Vegetable Stew

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This dish is pure vegetarian, and easy to cook. There are only a two spices, which means the vegetables are the stars of the show.

INGREDIENTS
500g savoy cabbage (finely shredded)
300g carrot (washed, peeled and diced)
300g new potatoes (cut in half)
300g green peas
1 tin chopped tomatoes
2 onions
1 tbs crushed chilli
5 tbs olive oil
1 tsp cumin and 1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp sugar
Salt

METHOD
Heat the oven to 170*. Mix the cabbage with salt and 2 tbs of the olive oil, and roast in the oven for 10 minutes. Heat the rest of the oil in a pan, add the onion and sauté until soft. Add the crushed chilli, spices and turmeric powder and cook for a few minutes more until the aromas develop. Then add the tomatoes and sugar, check the seasoning and let the pan simmer for another few minutes. Meanwhile, boil the potatoes and carrots, and at the last minute add the green peas. Strain and add to the pan, mixing well. Check the seasoning and serve with rice and a salad.


© Ajith Perera. All rights reserved.

Stuffed Peppers

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This summer I have decided to introduce some of my recipes based on well-known international dishes from my travelling experience, and my working experience as a chef in a London five-star hotel kitchen. I start with a pure vegetarian dish, stuffed peppers.

Stuffed Peppers

INGREDIENTS

700g mixed peppers

500g cooked rice

250g grated cheddar cheese

300g mixed vegetables (mushrooms/spring onions/carrot)

100g packet of sage and onion stuffing mixture

50g chopped parsley

3tbs olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

 

METHOD

In a pan heat the oil, add chopped mushrooms, spring onions and grated carrots and cook for about 10 minutes. In a bowl mix together the rice, parsley, sage and onion mix, cooked vegetables and half of the cheese. Check the seasoning. Wash the peppers and carefully slice the lid off (you can chop this and use it in the recipe), and de-seed. Fill up the peppers with the rice mixture, and arrange on a baking tray or dish. Sprinkle with the leftover cheese and bake in a hot oven for 15 to 20 minutes.

 


© Ajith Perera. All rights reserved.

Passion Fruit Cake

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Passion fruits are available throughout the year in Sri Lanka – we like to use them for juice cordial, and jam is quite popular too. I use fresh passion fruits for this cake recipe.

INGREDIENTS

4 passion fruit, halved
150g butter, room temperature
250g castor sugar
250g flour
4 eggs
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup fresh grated coconut (or desiccated)
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tbs milk

Icing mixture

Mix together 150g soft butter, 200g icing sugar and passion fruit syrup

To make passion fruit syrup, scoop the passion fruit into a saucepan, add 50g castor sugar and cook on a low flame until it thickens, strain out the seeds and let it cool down. Make sure not to overcook.

METHOD

Heat the oven to 180*. Line a round cake tin with butter. Mix the butter, sugar and eggs together then add the vanilla, lemon and milk. Mix the flour, baking powder and coconut together. Stir the dry mixture into the wet mixture, making sure it is lump-free. Add half of the passion fruit syrup and mix roughly. Transfer the cake mixture to the baking tray and bake for about 35-40 minutes. If a wooden skewer comes out clean then it’s cooked. Remove from cake tin and let it cool down. Cut the cake in half, spread with the icing and decorate as you wish.


© Ajith Perera. All rights reserved.

Mushroom Rice

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Mushroom are quite popular in Sri Lanka, throughout the country many people are strict vegetarians. We don’t have lots of varieties of mushrooms like in Europe, but there are fresh and dried mushrooms available. I created this rice dish with wild mushrooms, and it has come out beautifully each time I make it. So I thought I should share with you all!

INGREDIENTS

350g mix wild mushrooms ( cleaned and cut)
I red onion (chopped)
3 garlic cloves (chopped)
I cup of leek (white part, sliced)
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 tomato (seeded and chopped)
3 tbs olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

Heat the oil in a pan, add the garlic and fry until golden. Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes together with the garlic, then add the mushrooms. Mix well and cook until all the aromas come out. Then add the leeks and tomato, mix well. Remove from the heat, add the parsley and check the seasoning. Cook rice as you like, either plain or tempered. Stir into the mushroom mixture and  serve.


© Ajith Perera. All rights reserved.

Lotus Root Curry (Nelum ala Vanjanaya)

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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.

 


© Ajith Perera. All rights reserved.

Jack Seed Curry (Kos ata kalupol maluwa)

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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.

 

 


© Ajith Perera. All rights reserved.

Sri Lankan Broccoli with Fresh Coconut (Mellum)

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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.

 


© Ajith Perera. All rights reserved.

Bread Pudding

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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.


© Ajith Perera. All rights reserved.