Sri Lankan Chicken Curry & Rice Flour Rotti

This curry is very very delicious. An instant fav. We will make it again and soon I bet. Both it and the rice flour rotti are from this book.

Sri Lankan Chicken Curry-

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 onions, finely sliced
1" piece fresh ginger, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp. ground tumeric
1 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. ground garam masala
400g boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces
3/4 cup coconut milk
2 tomatoes, quartered
salt, to taste

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a med. saucepan, add the onions and cook until golden brown. Add the ginger. garlic and ground spices. Mix for 1 minute, then add chicken. Cook, stirring, over medium heat for 5 minutes.

2. Pour in 1 1/4 cups water. Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and cook for 10 minutes.

3. Turn down heat to lowest, add the coconut milk. Cook for another 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Stir in tomatoes and salt to taste. Cook for 5 more minutes. Serve with rice or rotti. Nice with mango chutney.


Akki Rotti

Ingredients:

2 cups rice flour
50g freshly grated coconut (or dried coconut)
2 Tbsp cilantro chopped fine
10 curry leaves chopped fine
2 green chilies, chopped fine
2 1/2 shallots, very finely sliced
10 cashew nuts, roasted and ground
salt, to taste
vegetable oil for frying

Directions:

1. Put all of the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Make a well in the center and gradually (slowly) stir in 1 to 2 cups of water until it forms a soft dough. With floured hands, knead the dough to mix and shape into small balls.

2. Roll out balls on a surface dusted with rice flour to make discs as thin as possible. Leave to rest for 10 minutes.

3. Heat a large frying pan and coat the bottom with oil. Place one disc of dough in the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Turn over and brown the other side. Remove from pan and keep warm while cooking the remaining breads. Serve hot.

Anti- flu diet

I haven't posted a new recipe for a while. That's because I am concentrating on eating fresh fruit, steamed and raw veggies, eggs and fish. Many of my friends have fallen ill and tons of my clients and contacts have contracted the flu. Eating an exemplary diet is part of my plan to stay healthy, as is going to bed at a reasonable time and getting enough exercise. I also plan to go get a flu shot, possibly next week. Until then, I have been sauté crazy. Mushrooms, leafy greens, (like spinach, pea shoots and Mâche), peppers, and any other veggie I can cook in minutes. Today I grilled a bell pepper with a little olive oil in a cast iron pan. When that was done, I threw in several handfuls of mâche and quickly wilted it, a little dash of course salt and lunch was ready. A handful of nuts for protein and I'm back to work.

Stay healthy!

Ridiculously Easy Brown Basmati Pilaf

This is a "whatever you have in the fridge" type of recipe. It would be just as nice with broccoli and mushrooms, or cauliflower and spinach.

Ingredients:

1 cup brown basmati rice
2 cups water

2 large carrots, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 cup mâche (or spinach)
1/2 cup fresh pea shots
1/2 large bell pepper, seeds removed and chopped
1/4 cup almond slivers (or pine nuts)
1/4 extra virgin olive oil
1/2 onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup white wine
1 lemon, juice of
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste


Directions:


1. Combine the water and rice in a med pot. bring to boil, stir once, lower heat to simmer, cover and cook for 50 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit covered for 10 minutes before fluffing with a fork.

2. Bring 3 cups water to a boil, add the carrots and bring to a boil again, cook on med with lid slightly off for about 10 -15 minutes (or until the carrots are cooked but not mushy) set aside.

3. Heat a large skillet over med. heat. Add slivered almonds and toss until toasted. Be careful not to let the almonds burn. Remove from pan and set aside.

4. Return the skillet to the burner and heat the oil. Add the onions and sauté until nearly soft (about 3 minutes). Add the garlic and sauté for another minute. Stir in the bell pepper and cook for about 2 minutes.

5. Stir in the lemon juice, white wine and season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 2 minutes. Add the cooled brown rice, carrots, mâche and pea shoots. Cook until heated through (about 2 minutes) sprinkle with toasted almonds and serve.

African Plantain Curry

I like to try new things. I saw this recipe and wanted to try it right away as I have not really eaten much plantain in my life. I have had some African cuisine but I have never attempted to make it. This recipe comes from my favorite new book, Curry Cuisine
Anyhow, it was easy to make and I'm quite certain I liked it. It's a totally new taste for me but yes, I liked it and I would make it again.

Ingredients:

4 plantains
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
3/4 tsp. mustard seeds
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
1 Tbsp curry leaves
1 onion, finely chopped
1 3/4 inch fresh ginger, finely chopped
2-4 green chilies, seeded and chopped
pinch of ground tumeric
fresh cilantro leaves, chopped for garnish
lemon juice, to sharpen

Directions:

1. Put the unpeeled plantains in a steamer basket set over a pan of simmering water. Steam for 10 minutes. They should still be quite firm to the touch.

2. While the plantains are cooking, make the masala. Heat the oil in a wok or pan and toss in the mustard seeds, followed by the cumin seeds and curry leaves. As soon as the seeds begin to pop, add the onion, ginger & green chilies. Turn the heat down to low, cover the pan, and cook for about 10 minutes (until the onion is softened)

3. When the plantains are cool enough to handle, strip off the peel with a sharp knife and grate them lengthwise into thick coarse shreds.

4. Add the turmeric to the masala while still on the heat, stir to combine. Add the grated plantains and fry for another 5-7 minutes. You want to make sure the plantain still has texture and bite. If it is sticking, add a little water.

5. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro, and add a squeeze of lemon. Serve with rice. Good with pickled relishes, spiced chilies etc.

Thai Food

Love Thai Food? Here are some of my favs

Thai Green Curry From Scratch

Pad Thai-alicious!

Curried Chicken Roll with Sweet Thai Basil

Thai Spicy coconut squash Curry

Coconut Rice