Saturday, January 25, 2014

Pineapple Milk Maid Pudding




Ingredients :-

1 can (14 oz.) condensed milk
1 3/4 cans water (use the condensed milk can)
3 tsp gelatin (10g)
3 tbsp corn flour
2 tbsp sugar
1 Pineapple medium size
Raisins
1 tsp vanilla
Colouring (yellow is preferred)


Method

Slice the pineapple into small pieces.

Cook the pineapple pieces under a low flame adding 2 tablespoons of sugar and a bit of water. (No need to add water if you have fresh pineapple. Water will ooze out of the pineapple while cooking).

Cook till the color changes from the fresh pineapple color to a bit more faded color. Keep it aside and let it cool.

Dissolve gelatin in a small amount of warm water and keep aside.

Dissolve corn flour in water until all the flour is dissolved and keep aside.

Mix condensed milk and water and keep on the fire under moderate heat. Cook stirring until it boils.

Add vanilla, pineapple, colouring and raisins (spare some pineapple and raisins for garnish) and continue stirring.

Add cornflour and continue stirring, when the mixture thickens switch off the fire and add gelatin.

Pour the mixture to a dish and garnish with some pineapple and raisins.
Refrigerate until it is well set and serve. (5-6 hours)


Variations:

you can add cashews, cherries, almonds or anything you think would match this taste.

You can use two colours and make it as layers with one pineapple layer in the middle. Have to wait till one layer is set to add the other layer.








Thursday, January 23, 2014

Milk Toffee


Ingredients

1 Can Condensed Milk
350 g Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla Essence
50 ml water
2 Cardamoms
50 g Cashew (optional )

1. Roast Cashew until golden brown in a pan (you can use the Microwave, medium power for 45 seconds, leave 30 seconds and put it for further 45 seconds) Once the Cashew has cooled down, crush into pieces and set aside.

2. Finely grind Cardamom seeds and set aside.

3. Apply a thin layer of butter to a flat dish (Pyrex preferred).

4. On a fairly deep non-stick pan dissolve sugar with water (add more water if required).

5. Slowly heat the pan and add condensed milk and stir continuously for about 15 minutes

6. Add 1 tsp of Vanilla and Cardamom stir well.

7. When the mixture starts to crystallize (mixture should be in a nice golden color) add chopped cashew and mix well.

8. Pour the mixture into the dish and flatten with a spatula or a spoon.

9. Leave it for some time and cut into squares or diamonds with a sharp knife (wipe the knife with a cloth damped with cold water each time to help cutting easy)

Can make about 50 pieces of average size.

Enjoy :)

Eggless Sponge Cake


Ingredients

1/2 can (400 grams for full can) condensed milk
140 grams (5 oz.) self-raising flour
1 level teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon soda bi-carb
60 ml. (2 fl. oz.) melted butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
Method

1. Sieve the flour, baking powder and soda bi-carbb together.

2. Mix the flour mixture, condensed milk, melted butter, essence and 75 ml. (2 1/2 fl. oz.) water and beat well.

3. Pour the mixture into a greased and dusted 150 mm. (6") diameter tin.

4. Bake in a hot oven at 200 degree C (400 degree F) for 10 minutes. Then reduce the tempreture to 150 degree C (300 degree F) and bake for a further 10 minutes.

5. The cake is ready when it leaves the sides of the tin and is springy to touch. When ready, take out from the oven and leave for 1 minute. Invert the tin over a rack and tap sharply to remove.

6. Cool the cake.



Monday, January 20, 2014

Masala Vadai (Parippu Vada)



Masala vadai is a very famous snack that can be found in all South Indian and Sri Lankan tea shops. This is a very easy vadai compared to Ulundhu vadai. Even beginners will be able to make this perfectly.

Ingredients

Yellow split peas: 1 cup
Salt: 1 tsp
Red or green chillies: 2 or 3
Ginger finely chopped: 1 tsp
Onions chopped finely:1/4 cup (small onions tastes better)
Curry leaves: a sprig
Coriander leaves: a sprig (optional)
Asafoetida : a pinch

Procedure:

Step1:
Soak the dhal in enough water for atleast 2 hours

Step2:
Grind it coarsely along with red or green chillies and asafoetida with very little water.



Step3:
Add salt and mix well. Add chopped curry leaves, chopped ginger, chopped Onion and coriander leaves as well.



Step4:
Heat the oil in a pan.Make a lemon sized ball out of the batter and slightly press it to a round shape.



Step5:
Fry 3 or 4 at a time in oil in medium flame until golden brown.

Friday, December 20, 2013

Sri Lankan Kottu Roti




This is one of the meals we enjoy the most from our culture. I remember as we were kids, we would always get excited when we heard our parents say that we were having Kottu Roti.

It’s not something that people have regularly and this dish originated from my country Sri Lanka. There are different meats that can be used in Kottu Roti such as beef, goat, chicken, or it can be made with just eggs.

This dish is prepared with curry and spices that we put on the roti on an iron sheet. The mixing part is done by clashing two blunt metal blades on the sheet. The unique sound that is created by this clashing can be heard a lot coming from roadside restaurants in Sri Lanka, mostly in the evening.

Presently, this dish is so popular that it is made worldwide even in Washington, USA.

THE RECIPE

Part 1

The Curry

Ingredients:
- 500 grams of beef, cubed (whatever meat you like)
- ½ onion, finely sliced
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 6 cups of water
- 3 chilies
- 3 tbsp curry powder
- 1 tbsp of paprika powder
- 1 cup of coconut milk
- Curry leaves (Optional)
- salt & white pepper to taste

Method :

1. Place skillet or wok with about 3 table spoons of cooking oil on medium heat fire.
2. Saute garlic, Curry leaves, Chillies and sliced Onion. Add Curry Powder, Paprika powder and pepper.
3. Put the beef into wok and add salt to taste, gently turn over until the beef has been coated all through (two minutes would do).
4. then add water and let it cook until the Meat is tender (about 40-45 mins).
5, You can add coconut milk and let it cook another 10 mins. now the curry is ready.

Part 2

Kottu Roti

Ingredients:
- 3 fresh Parottas/Roti or 5-6 Tortillas (cut into small pieces)
- leeks 3 cups
- carrot 1 1/2
- 2 tbsp oil
- 2 thinly sliced/chopped red or white onions
- 5-6 green chilies chopped
- a handful of fresh curry leaves
- Small piece of ginger, chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 1 tomato chopped
- salt to taste
- 2-3 eggs
- 1 cup meat curry (mutton/beef/chicken)

Method:

1. In a wok heat oil and add curry leaves and green chilies fry for 10 seconds.
2. Add sliced/chopped onions, chopped ginge and chopped garlic, saute about 30 seconds
3. Add leeks and carrot, saute 1 min and then add eggs, Once the egg becomes hard add chopped tomato and pinch of salt (already added salt to the curry)
4. Now add the Parottas/Roti or Tortillas.
5. Add the meat curry with gravy and keep stirring until all the gravy stick to the parotta (the out is dry but moist) Now the Kottu is ready to serve.