Sri Lankan recipes

attentionseeker1

I found out how to make a really cheap recipe from my mum yesterday which I used to love when I was younger. The measurements are v imprecise as my mum didn't come from a traditional family so we have learnt how to cook Sri Lankan food though trial, error and recipe books! They are how we would cook them given that we both work and so have limited time to fuss too much in the kitchen!

Anyone who doesn't like strong fish tastes look away now though!

Pilchard curry

1x tin pilchards (45p for a small tin for 1, 90p for a large tin for 3)
1 small onion
half teaspoon hot chilli powder
a few good grinds salt
about 1/4 tin chopped tomatoes or 1/4 carton passata
a dash of Worcestershire sauce
a splash of milk
a squeeze of lemon juice

- Fry onion in oil until soft.
-While this is frying, debone pilchards on a plate, retaining tomato sauce.
-Add chilli powder and salt to frying pan and stir quickly.
-Add pilchards to pan and fry/break up for a bit
-Add tomato sauce from pilchards, passata or chopped tomatoes and Worcestershire sauce and simmer for 5-10 minutes
-Add a splash of milk and simmer for 2 minutes. Add lemon juice and remove from heat. Serve with white potato curry, rice and pol sambol.



Quick white potato curry
- 4 potatoes
-1/2 onion, diced
- small cinnamon stick
- 6 curry leaves
- 2-3 finger chillies
- 1/2 teaspooon fenugreek seeds
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
-1/2 cup coconut milk
-salt

Simmer potatoes with all spices, onion, chilli etc in only just enough water to cover until cooked. Add coconut milk and a generous amount of salt and simmer for a couple more minutes

Quick pol sambol

-1 pkt dessicated coconut (abt 150g)
- 1 onion chopped very very finely
-splash of milk
- chilli powder
- 1 lime
- salt

Mix a splash of milk into dessicated coconut so it becomes slightly moist but not wet in order to reconstitute it. Leave aside for 5 mins.

Very very finely chop an onion and mix into the coconut.

Using your fingers (I never wanted to do this and used a fork but it doesn't work as well!!), work 1-2 tsp chilli powder into the coconut, pushing it together hard until it looks an even bright orange colour (if you can't take the heat, try cayenne and chilli mixed)

Add the juice of half a lime and a lot of salt until you get a tangy salty flavour.




The only thing I would not have in my storecupboard/fridge already for this would be coconut and the pilchards for a cost of about 2 pounds! Curry leaves can now be bought in many Tescos for about 50p/bunch. You can freeze them in a plastic tub and then that bunch would last you 6 months!