ALOO BONDA (POTATO BALL) RECIPE

Ingredients:

 Batter:

• Gram flour  - 1 cup
• Turmeric Powder  - 1/4 tea spoon
• Water to prepare a batter of medium thick consistency
• Salt as per taste 

Aloo Stuffing:

• Boiled Potato  - 4 big size
• Curry leaves  - as per requirement
• Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tea spoon
• Ginger  - 1 inch piece finely chopped
• Green Chilli  - 4 finely chopped

Spices:

• Turmeric Powder  - 1/2 tea spoon
• Red Chilli Powder  - 1/2 tea spoon
• Cumin Seeds Powder  - 1/2 tea spoon
• Black Pepper Powder  - 1/2 tea spoon
• Salt as per taste 
• Mustard Oil - for frying the aloo bonda

Procedure:

Batter Preparation:

In a deep mixing bowl take the gram flour and add turmeric powder  and salt as per taste  to it.
Now add water to the bowl and mix all the ingredients together to form a batter of medium thick consistency. Whisk the batter well and ensure that no lumps are formed.

Keep the batter to rest for 10 minutes.


(If the batter's consistency is very thin then it will not form a layer over the potato mixture and get separate from the frying aloo bonda balls. If the batter's consistency is very thick then it will form a very thick layer and it shall not get cooked properly.)

Potato Mixture Preparation:

Peel off the boiled potatoes and mash them nicely so that a smooth paste like texture is obtained.
Now heat 1 table spoon mustard oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and curry leaves on it.
Allow the mustard seeds to clatter and then add the finely chopped  ginger  and green chilli  to the pan. Saute them till they turn golden brown in color.
Now add the dry spices  to the pan. Stir to mix the spices and lower the flame.
Quickly add the mashed boiled potatoes  to the pan. Stir to mix the mashed boiled potatoes  with the spices and cook the ingredients together. Stir and cook the mixture for 2 minutes and then turn off the flame.

Transfer this mixture to a plate and allow it to cool. Then prepare small balls of the entire mixture.

Aloo Bonda Preparation:

Heat some mustard oil in a thick based pan. The amount of oil should be enough so that the aloo bonda balls are completely submerged in it while frying. Lower the flame when the oil is heated completely.
Now dip the aloo mixture balls prepared earlier in the batter and roll it nicely so that they get coated nicely without any gaps.
Then slowly slip one ball into the hot oil. After 2-3 seconds put another ball in the fry pan slowly without splashing any oil. Similarly put 4-5 balls to fry in the  with a gap of 2-3 seconds.
When they appear golden on the base side then flip them slowly to cook on the other side. Stir slowly and continuously to fry the aloo bonda balls till they turn uniform crispy golden red on all sides.

Now transfer the fried aloo bonda balls to a plate covered with tissue paper to soak off the extra oil.

Then serve the hot aloo bonda with green chilli Chatney

Tip: Stir slowly and continuously to fry the aloo bonda balls till they turn uniform crispy golden red on all sides. If you do not stir the bonda balls slowly and continuously while frying, it will have dark pathes at some places in the end. 

CHICKEN BARBECUE (OVEN COOKED)

Barbecue is world-popular food. No wonder it has numerous regional variations. There are also several terms that are associated or somehow similar to barbecuing such as grilling, broiling, roasting and to some extent hot smoking. In British usage, barbecuing and grilling refer to a fast cooking process directly over high heat, while grilling also refers to cooking under a source of direct, high heat which is known in the U.S. and Canada as broiling.


In US English usage, however, grilling refers to a fast process over high heat, while barbecuing refers to a slow process using indirect heat and/or hot smoke similar to some forms of roasting. In a typical U.S. home grill, food is cooked on a grate directly over hot charcoal, while in a U.S. barbecue; the coals are dispersed to the sides or at significant distance from the grate. In the Philippines, barbeque is often done over direct heat or charcoals.


To prepare this chicken barbeque, we need about 1 kilogram (2.2 lbs) very fresh chicken pieces composed of my favorite cuts - drumsticks and thighs, washed and thoroughly drained.

The other ingredients are: 6 gloves garlic, peeled and minced, ½ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup catsup, ¼ cup sprite or 7-up, 1/8 cup“calamansi” or lemon extract, ½ tsp ground pepper, 3 tbsp brown sugar and 1 pc bird’s eye chili pepper (optional).


Following the procedure in my pork barbeque recipe, combine the sauce ingredients in a mixing bowl starting with garlic and soy sauce. Add in sprite followed by “calamansi” extract and mix thoroughly.


Continue by adding the ground pepper followed by catsup, brown sugar and bird’s eye chili pepper, if you like. Continue mixing until a sparkling black homogenous sauce is attained. Taste the barbeque sauce and adjust the sweetness according to your preference. I like it this way, but my mom usually adds some more sugar to suit to the Filipino taste which is more on the sweet side.


In a mixing bowl, combine the chicken pieces with the sauce and mix until the meat is evenly coated. Marinate inside the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight if possible. Stir or flip the meat over several times to ensure even infusion of flavors.

Prepare your grill and be ready for some barbecuing by the lawn or garden. All you have to do is to barbecue the chicken over direct heat until it is gorgeously cooked through and colored sparkling dark brown. 


I have anticipated, as mentioned above, that this is going to be fun and exciting. But the weather did not cooperate. It has been raining hard and outside grilling proved to be quite difficult. So I changed plan and used the oven instead.


Pre-heat the oven to 190 ˚C or 375 ˚F or Gas Mark No. 5. In a baking sheet, arrange the meat properly. Baked for around 30 minutes or until the meat is golden and cooked through. Baste with the sauce half way.


On the last 5 minutes, transfer the baking sheet to the top notch and set the oven to broil. Cook until the meat is dark brown and some skin portion lightly burnt. Your kitchen should be smelling barbecue by this time. :-)


Transfer in medium plate and serve warm. You can accompany it with your favorite commercial barbeque sauce or liver sauce or banana catsup. As for me, it’s already complete on its own and no other sauce is needed.

We ate this as a late night snack with several slices of soft crusty bread. The meat is just right; yummy and juicy. The oven did the trick. The resulting dish did not materially differ from the usual charcoal-grilled barbeque I am familiar with. My craving was satisfied. Enjoy! ...

VEGETABLE TOPPED COUSCOUS

1 lg Onion; cut in thin wedges
2 Cloves garlic; minced
1 ts Olive oil or cooking oil
2 c Thinly sliced carrots
1/2 c Water
1 ts Dried basil; crushed
1/2 ts Ground cumin, 1/4 ts Salt
1/8 ts Ground red pepper opt.
2 md Zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut in 1/2" pieces (2 1/2C)
1 pt Chick peas, rinsed
1 pt Stewed tomatoes
2 tb Cold water, 2 ts Cornstarch 
2 c Chicken broth, 1 c Couscous
1/4 c Chopped unsalted dry roasted
peanuts


Cook onion and garlic in hot oil in large saucepan over medium low heat until onion is crisp tender. Stir in carrots, the 1/2 cup water, basil, cumin, salt and if desired, red pepper. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 10 minutes.
Stir in zucchini, chick peas and undrained tomatoes. Cover and cook for 2 minutes. Stir together cold water and cornstarch. Stir into tomato mixture. Cook and stir till thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 2 minutes more.
Meanwhile, bring chicken broth to a boil in medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add couscous; cover and let stand 5 minutes or till liquid is absorbed; fluff with fork. Serve vegetable mixture over hot couscous. Sprinkle with peanuts. 

PRAWNS USING HAM SLICES

Ingredients 

Prawns 12 nos

                                          Ham slices 12 nos
                                          BBQ sauce
                                          Black pepper sauce
                                          Few tooth picks

DIRECTIONS:

Pre heat oven to 425F
Clean prawns properly.
I microwaved Ham slices for 1 minute before using.
Then wrap the prawns using ham slices & inserted a toothpick to keep it wrapped.
Then I brushed some Black pepper sauce & BBQ sauce together over them.
Baked in aluminum foil lined baking pan for about 15 minutes.

DATE CAKE RECIPE

Ingredients

1 lb. Dates
1 cup of water
1 tspn bicarbonate soda (baking soda)
1/4 lb. butter
1/2 lb. sugar
1/2 lb. flour
1 tspn baking powder
3 eggs
1/2 cup milk
3 cardamoms (powdered) 1 tspn vanilla
grated rind of lime
OPTIONAL
2 ozs. cashews
2 ozs. sultanas (raisins)

2 ozs. pumpkin preserve (cut small)

Cooking Method

Wash and stone the dates and mince. Dissolve the bicarbonate of soda in water and soak the dates for at least one hour.
Sieve the flour and baking powder together, and set aside. Dust in 2ozs. flour, the chopped cashews, sultanas and cut pumpkin preserve and set aside.
Cream the butter and sugar. Add yolk one at a time and cream well. Whisk the whites of eggs till foamy. Alternately fold in the flour, milk and whisked whites to the cake mixture.
Lightly mix in the soaked dates and the dry ingredients mixture. Lastly, add the vanilla, grated lime rind and powdered cardomoms.
Bake in a moderately hot oven(350 F) for 30-35 minutes.

CURRY LEAF SAMBOL RECIPE (KARAPINCHA SAMBOL)

Ingredients

2 cups curry leaves
2 tbsp shredded coconut
2 cloves garlic chopped
Small piece of ginger chopped
2 green chillies finely chopped
1/2 tspn mustard powder
1/2 tspn black pepper powder
1/2 Lime
Salt to taste

Method

Add chopped garlic, ginger, green chillies, mustard powder, black pepper to a food processor. Squeeze 1/2 of a lime and 1 tspn water to the mixture and grind well. Now add the curry leaves and a little bit of water and grind it further till it becomes a paste. Finally, add the shredded coconut, salt to taste and grind it until well blended. Enjoy with Rice and curry or Those (dosa). Karapincha (Curry Leaf) controls high blood pressure, heart disease , diabetes and high cholesterol. Therefore this is a very healthy sambol.

OLD STYLE WATALAPPAN - SRI LANKAN DESSERT

Ingredients
 
1 teaspoonful grated nutmeg
150g (5 oz) creamed coconut 
225g (8 oz) jaggery 
5 eggs (size 4) 
Method 
1. Place jaggery in a pan with 50ml (2 fl oz) water. 

2. Bring to the boil, and simmer until the jaggery has dissolved. 

3. Dissolve the creamed coconut in 50 ml (2 fl oz ) of hot water and allow to cool. 

4. Beat the eggs and strain into a 1¼ litre (2 pint) bowl. 

5. Mix the jaggery and milk into the beaten eggs. 

6. Add grated nutmeg. Cover bowl with greaseproof paper. 

7. Steam in a pressure cooker or colander for 1 hour. 

8. Alternatively the mixture can be divided into 6 ramekin dishes and steamed covered for 20      minutes in a pan of simmering water. 

Sri Lankan Jaggery is an unrefined brown sugar made from the sap of the toddy palm. It is available in Sri Lankan shops in a ready-to-use form known as Kitul Treacle.

COFFEE BISCUIT PUDDING RECIPE

Ingredients

1/2 lb Butter
1 lb Icing Sugar
2-3 tspn nescafe (instant coffee)
1 Cup Milk
2-3 Marie Biscuit/Cookie Packets (120g)
1 tspn Vanilla
2 tbsp chocolate curls (grated chocolate)
1/2 cup chopped roasted cashew nuts(optional)

Cooking Method

To make the coffee cream, beat butter & icing sugar until it becomes pale colour. Then flavor it with nescafe (instant coffee) dissolved in 1 tbsn hot water, vanilla & beat well. In a glass dish pour a thin layer of coffee cream. Soak the biscuits lightly in milk (flavor with a little instant coffee), arrange a layer of biscuits over the cream (gaps should be filled). Then spread a layer of coffee cream again & a layer of biscuits.

Arrange like this alternately until the coffee cream is over (the top most layer should be cream). Sprinkle with chopped roasted cashew nuts or chocolate curls if desired. Chill for about 2 hours.

KANKUN WITH BEEF RECIPE

Ingredients

1 bunch of Kankun leaves
1/2 lbs lean beef, thinly sliced
1 medium Onion sliced
2 cloves garlic chopped
2 tbsp Soy sauce
1 tbsp Oyster sauce
2 tspn black pepper powder
Cooking oil
Salt to taste

Method

Pick, clean and wash kankun leaves. Heat 2 tbsp oil till very hot in a pan or a wok and add the thinly sliced beef. Season it with salt and pepper and stir fry until the beef is done.

Remove the beef from the pan and again add 1 tbsp oil into the pan and when it's hot add the sliced onions. Stir for few minutes and then add the chopped garlic and cooked beef and stir well.

Finally add Kankun leaves, soy sauce and oyster sauce, stir fry for few minutes and remove from heat and enjoy with rice.

SRI LANKAN STYLE ACHCHARU

 
Ingredients

1) 15-20 small Onions (pearl or red onions)
2) 10-15 small green Chilies (each split into two halves)
3) 2 large Carrots (cut into thin strips)
4) 1 small Turnip (cut into thin trianguler shaped pieces)
5) 15-20 small Cauliflower florets (optional)
6) 2 cups Vinegar (Coconut vinegar if available would be ideal)
7) 1 inch piece Ginger root (crushed)
8) 6 cloves Garlic (crushed)
9) 2 tbs black ground Mustard seed
10)1 tbs black ground Pepper
11)pich of Turmeric
12)Salt to taste 

Method

Heat 1 cup vinegar in a saucepan. Add onions and simmer for few minutes. Drain the onions and set aside in a large mixing bowl. Add green chilies to hot vinegar and simmer for few minutes. Drain the chilies and add to the onions. Repeat same process with carrots & cauliflower and add to the onions and chillie. Do not heat the turnip but add to the onion mix once cut into pieces. Mix all the vegetables well. To the heated vinegar in the saucepan, add the remaining 1 cup of vinegar and all other ingredients and boil for few minutes. Pour the hot vinegar mix over the onions and vegetables and mix well. Pack into a bottle and leave for a day or two to mature.

BIBIKKAN RECIPE (Sri Lankan Coconut Cake)

Ingredients

2 cups shredded coconut
4 cups or 1 liter treacle
1 cup semolina
1/2 cup wheat flour
2 eggs
1 tspn baking powder
1 tspn sweet cumin
1 tbsp vanilla
1/2 cup chopped dried fruit
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped cashews
1/4 cup ginger preserve
2 tspn mixed cardamom and cinnamon powdered
2 tspn grated rind of lemon

Method

Prepare a 8" x 12" baking tray and line with 3 layers of wax paper. Roast the semolina until light brown and set aside. Seperate the eggs from the yolk. Beat the egg whites and yolk seperately and set aside. Heat a pan, add the treacle and bring to a boil. Add the shredded coconut, powdered cardamom/cinnamon mix, vanilla essence and mix well. When the mixture (pani pol) is well done, remove from fire and let it cool for a while. Now add the semolina, wheat flour, baking powder, chopped cashews, chopped dried fruit, raisins, ginger preserve and sweet cumin to the pani pol mixture and mix well using a beater. Add the egg yolks and mix well. Lastly add the leamon rind and fold in the egg whites. Make sure your batter is moist enough. If it is too dry, add a little bit of hot water. Pour the mixture to the tray and decorate with cashews if desired. Bake at 300 F for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until done. Leave it for a day then cut into squares and enjoy.

SRI LANKAN ALUWA RECIPE

Ingredients

3 cups roasted rice flour
2 cups coconut or kitul honey
2 ozs. sliced cashew nuts

Cooking Method

Roast the rice flour in a pan on low heat while stirring all the time. Sieve and set aside. Then heat the honey till it treacles. Add the roasted rice flour and the sliced cashew nuts. Stir well and remove the pan from fire. A flexible consistency should be obtained. Roll out on a well floured board. Cut into diamond shapes. (Note: The rice flour should be well roasted for this receipe to come out well)

GINGER LEMON TEA FOR WEIGHT LOSS

Ingredients

Fresh Ginger – (Thinly sliced) 1 ½ inch
Sugar 2 TSP
Lemon Stripes 6
Water 3 Cups
Tea Bags 3



Method

Clean the ginger and peel off the skin. Cut it into thin slices.
Combine water, sugar, ginger, and lemon peel strips in a saucepan. Bring to boiling, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
Strain the ginger and lemon stripes using a strainer.
Place each tea bag in an each cup, immediately add simmering water mixture.
Cover, let steep according to tea package instructions. Remove tea bags and discard.
Serve this healthy tea immediately with some crackers.

PARTY STYLE CHICKEN DISH

INGREDIENTS

• 1Kg Chicken
• Unroasted curry powder
• Turmeric powder
• Chopped garlic and ginger
• Tamarind or vinegar
• 1 Cardamom and 1 stick Cinnamon
• 1 tbsn corn flour
• black pepper powder
• red chillie powder
• salt to taste
• Cooking oil or margarine

METHOD

1. Cut the whole chicken into regular size pieces without skin or you can use chicken breasts.
2. Add turmeric powder,salt,tamarind,curry powder,spices and mix it well.
3. Then add sufficient water and cook thoroughly.
4. When it's done heat a frying pan and add margarine or cooking oil.
5. When the oil is heated add few chicken pieces at a time and brown it all the sides.
6. Take the chicken out of the pan and add the chicken gravy that was left from boiling.
7. Mix 1tbsn corn flour in to cold water and add it to the gravy and bring it to a boil.
8. Then add some chillie powder,black pepper powder and mix well.
9. Finally add the chicken pieces and mix well.
10. Can add more chillie powder if desired.

POLOS MELLUM

INGREDIENTS

• 1 can polos (Young Jack Fruit)
• 2 tsp ground mustered
• 1 tsp saffron
• 4-5 curry leaves
• 1 small cinnamon pieces
• 2 -3-peppercorns
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• Salt
• 1 cup water

METHOD

1. Chop polos to small pieces.
2. Put polos pieces into a pan
3. Add salt, tsp saffron and water.
4. Cook until all the water is absorbed.
5. Meanwhile ground mustered, garlic, curry leaves, peppercorns and cinnamon to make a paste.
6. Add coconut and salt to the paste and mix well.
7. Add the coconut mixture to the polos and cook about 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
8. Adjust salt.

RIDGE GOURD CURRY (VETAKOLU CURRY)

INGREDIENTS

• 500g vetakolu
• 1 tsp raw curry power
• 1 green chilies, sliced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 small piece cinnamon tsp saffron tsp fenugreek seeds (ulu haal)
• 1 sprig curry leaves cup coconut milk Salt

METHOD

1. Peel the vetakolu and wash.
2. Cut it lengthwise and then slices.
3. Put it into pan add all the ingredients except coconut milk.
4. Mix well. Cover and put it in very low heat until vetakolu is tender.
5. Then add coconut milk and simmer about few minutes.

FRIED BITTER GOURD SALAD (KARAVILA SAMBOL)

INGREDIENTS

• 2 bitter melons
• 1 medium size onion
• 2 green chilies
• 1 tomato
• 1 tbsp of lime juice
• salt
• Oil for deep frying
  
  

EGGPLANT AND GREEN BANANA CURRY

INGREDIENTS

• 1 eggplant
• 1 green banana
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 cup oil
• 1 large onion sliced fine
• 4 cloves garlic peeled
• 1 green chilli sliced in the middle
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
• ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon chilli powder
• ¼ cup water
• 1/3 cup milk

METHOD

1. Slice eggplant into 2 inch length pieces.
2. Wash the eggplant and mix with1 teaspoon of salt and turmeric and marinate for half an hour.
3. Do the same with the green banana.
4. Heat oil in a pan on high heat and when the oil is hot fry the sliced eggplant a few at a time, until they turn to a golden colour.
5. Drain well on a paper towel. Do this till all the eggplants have been fried.
6. Then fry the green banana slices and drain on a paper towel.
7. Deep fry the sliced onions till they are nice golden brown and add the garlic and green chilli, taking care not to let it burn.
8. Add curry leaves and lower the heat and add the mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds.
9. Drain the fried onions and rest of the fried ingredients and to the fried eggplant and green banana mixture..
10. Drain off the oil from the pan and place the pan over the stove on a low heat.
11. Add the chilli powder and salt and water and bring to the boil.
12. When it has boiled for about 5 minutes add the milk and then add the fried ingredients and give it a good stir.
13. Cook for a further 5 minutes dish out the curry and serve

BEET SALAD

INGREDIENS

• 1 Can Sliced Beets
• 2 Tomatoes
• 1 Onion
• 2 Green peppers
• 1 tbs black pepper powder
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp lime juice

METHOD

1. Slice onions and green pepper and tomatoes.
2. Take salad dish and add beet, tomatoes, onions and sliced green peppers.
3. Add black pepper salt and lime juice and mix well.
4. Rearrange the tomatoes, green pepper and beets for visual effect.

CHICKEN AND VEGETABLE SOUP

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tbs olive oil
• 1 leek halved, washed, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 large carrot, peeled, diced
• 2 sticks celery, diced
• 2 small zucchini, diced
• 1 swede or turnip, peeled, diced
• 1 can of creamed corn
• 8 cups chicken stock
• 1kg skinless chicken legs

METHOD

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add leek and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until soft but not coloured.
3. Add carrot, celery, zucchini and swede.
4. Cook for 2 minutes. Stir in soup mix, stock, chicken and 1 cup cold water.
5. Increase heat to high. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low.
6. Simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour or until soup mix and vegetables are tender.
7. Remove chicken legs from soup. Allow to cool slightly.
8. Remove meat from bones.
9. Roughly chop chicken meat and add to soup.
10. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into warmed bowls. Serve.