cookbook review: sri lankan flavours

Sri Lankan Flavours - a cookbook by Channa Dassanayaka.

As I mentioned in my post about my 2016 resolutions, this year, I plan to finally use my neglected cookbooks, and blog about my experience with them. Here's the first installment!

So we have here Sri Lankan Flavours, authored by Channa Dassanayaka, who grew up in Sri Lanka and worked as a chef there until civil unrest in the country prompted a move to Australia. Upon a decision to write a Sri Lankan cookbook, he returned to his home country to immerse himself once more in the culture, and to collect the relevant content. The result is a warm, vibrant cookbook with a wonderfully personal touch. Aside from the typical pictures of dishes that accompany the recipes, there are also photos and narratives that offer a charming glimpse of life in Sri Lanka.

I found the recipes in this cookbook to be quite accessible. Many of the ingredients can be found in a typical well-stocked supermarket in Australia, though you probably still have to make a trip to a reasonably comprehensive Asian grocery store to procure items such as pandan leaves and chickpea flour for certain dishes. However, I have never heard of Maldive fish flakes, which make an appearance in some recipes, but I certainly interested in tracking this down. Then there are some dishes that call for goraka (or gamboge), an ingredient that is also novel to me, and I would love to get my hands on it so that I can try the straightforward yet intriguing recipe for ambulthyial, a traditional southern Sri Lankan fish curry.

The first dish I attempted from Sri Lankan Flavours was the cauliflower, cashew and green pea curry. This easy-to-make vegetarian curry dish combines the vegetables with turmeric, cumin, coriander, curry leaves, onion, garlic and chilli in coconut milk, and it is finished off with a squeeze of lemon juice. The result is mild and pleasant. Channa encourages readers to follow their tastebuds, so I used more spices than indicated, but even so I would still say this is more of a subtle curry, and if you want something with a lot of attitude, go for another curry recipe from the book. This one is splendidly uncomplicated, though, which appeals to my indolent side. I enjoyed the texture of the vegetables and cashews, and I think the curry sauce develops with time, and tastes even better the following day.

Cauliflower, cashew and green pea curry.

I also made wattalappan, a simple pudding concoction of coconut milk, palm sugar and eggs. Spiced with ground cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and cardamom, this baked dessert came out rich and tender, the soft and silky custard juxtaposing delightfully with the crunchy cashews that stud the surface. The recipe states that this can be baked in one large dish or smaller individual dishes, but does not mention whether baking times should be reduced for the latter. I opted to divide the mixture amongst ramekins and did not adjust the time, and the puddings turned out fine, though it is possible that they could be more wobbly. Additionally, I don't have a super-sweet tooth, so I used less sugar than suggested, which worked out well. I was also elated to see that my wattalappan looks even more smooth, delicate and enticing than the picture in the cookbook - at least, I think so! There is no recommendation as to whether this Sri Lankan pudding is to be served hot, warm, or cold, but I chilled it in the fridge before indulging, and found it enjoyable that way.

Wattalappan, a baked custard pudding described as a Sri Lankan version of creme caramel.

I found Sri Lankan Flavours to be an interesting introduction to the world of Sri Lankan cuisine. There were times when it would have been ideal to have more information, as I indicated in regards my undertaking of the wattalappan recipe; however, I haven't encountered anything too daunting, and I can sense that there is an effort by Channa to offer recipes for dishes that are easily attainable for those of us who are new to cooking Sri Lankan food, which I greatly appreciate. The recipes are also written in a way that is approachable for users of either the metric or imperial system, so bonus points for that! All in all, if you're looking for a book that can help you put a nice selection of Sri Lankan dishes on your dining table, it's definitely worth checking out Sri Lankan Flavours.

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balsamic, black pepper and garlic braised fennel stew with tomato

Simple and satisfying: a balsamic, black pepper and garlic braised tomato-fennel stew.

Fennel is not a vegetable that I use often, as I tend towards cheaper produce, but every now and then, it begs to be consumed. Raw, it is crisp and fragrant in a salad. Braised, it boasts a voluptuously meaty presence in a stew.

For this recipe, I went for the latter as I embark on the type of kitchen adventure that I find to be most enjoyable: scanning my available ingredients, and throwing them together to create a tasty dish.

And tasty it was: I uncovered a fennel bulb from the fridge, picked a vine-ripened tomato from the garden, and introduced the pair in a pot. The fennel softens to a more yielding disposition, while the tomato breaks down, embracing the garlic, black pepper and balsamic vinegar to form a luscious base. This is an easy way to prepare fennel, one that rewards you greatly with only minimal effort.

Braised fennel in tomato, garlic, balsamic vinegar and black pepper.

braised fennel stew with tomato, garlic, black pepper, and balsamic vinegar
(serves 1, multiply the ingredients to create more servings)

1 medium to large fennel
1 medium to large tomato
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup water

Chop off the fennel stalks, and cut the fennel bulb into eight wedges. The stalks and bulb are the parts that are to be braised. Reserve the fennel fronds to use as a fresh garnish.
Cut tomato into eighths.
Warm up olive oil in a saucepan over low heat, and gently fry garlic and black pepper in olive oil for 2 minutes or until the garlic is soft and golden. Add tomato and cook, stirring, for another 2 minutes. Add fennel, and cook the mixture for an additional 2 minutes before incorporating balsamic vinegar, salt and water.
Bring the mixture to boil over high heat, then reduce the temperature, cover the saucepan, and allow the ingredients to simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the fennel is tender-firm. Add more salt and pepper to taste, if desired.
Pour the stew into a serving dish, and top it with fennel fronds.
Serve this fennel stew by itself, with crusty bread, or stir through some freshly cooked pasta.

This delicious braised fennel stew is quick and easy to make!

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2-ingredient rockmelon smoothie / cantaloupe smoothie

Rockmelon/cantaloupe smoothie.

Happy Chinese New Year!

I wish I could say that I've been baking some really fabulous Chinese New Year goodies, but to be honest, my attempts have been nothing to write home about, and now that we're going through a heatwave in Perth, I am very much not inclined to continue trying. When I'm not working, you can typically find me hanging out in front of the fan, drinking cold beverages all the livelong day, and wishing I have air-con in my room.

But anyway, today, inspired by the flavours of one of my favourite Asian desserts, melon sago pudding, I whizzed up a delightfully tasty and satisfying two-ingredient smoothie, and it went down a treat. So without further ado, here's the incredibly simple recipe for this slushy, icy smoothie.

2-ingredient rockmelon smoothie / cantaloupe smoothie

2 cups diced and frozen rockmelon/cantaloupe (honeydew melon also works great!)
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup water

Thoroughly blend all the ingredients together, and voila, you have a healthy, refreshing rockmelon smoothie that tastes like Asian melon sago pudding!

Rockmelon + coconut milk = bliss.

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nectarine-apricot granita

A bright and sunny nectarine-apricot granita.

It is probably obvious by now that I thoroughly enjoy stone fruit season at my local farmers market. Top-grade fruit is affordable, second-grade fruit is cheap and still delicious, and every now and then, a stall might offer a "jam box" of blemished or extremely overripe fruits for almost next to nothing.

Simon and I took advantage of one of the "jam box" specials recently. Heavy with peaches, nectarines, plums and apricots, the $2 price tag beckoned to us. I had no intention of making jam, but I knew I would somehow figure out something to do with the fruits.

I extricated the flesh of most of the plums and froze them for future smoothie creations. I assessed the peaches and decided that they were still fit for standard consumption. So I was left with apricots and nectarines, some of which we ate, but several were so incredibly soft and sweet that I felt they were better off blended up and broken into a granita. Thus, here we are, with a nectarine-apricot granita.

This nectarine-apricot granita goes beautifully with a dollop of cream or yoghurt.

nectarine-apricot granita

300g / 2/3lb overripe apricots
150g / 1/3lb overripe nectarines (I used white nectarines, but yellow nectarines are also great!)
1/2 cup water
1 lemon (or about 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 2 teaspoons lemon zest)
1 tablespoon honey (Optional, especially if the stone fruits are fall-apart sweet. Omit for a vegan recipe.)

Remove the stones from the apricots and nectarines. You can remove the peel, too, but I didn't bother. (As you can see, my granita has lovely flecks of red from the nectarine skin!)
Blend the apricot and nectarine flesh with the water, along with the juice and zest from the lemon.
Add honey to taste, if you feel that it is necessary. If using honey, dilute it in a small amount of water before stirring it in.
Pour the mixture into shallow containers, cover, and place in the freezer. Fill up the containers to only about halfway, as you'll need the extra space when creating the ice crystals of granita.
Check back in about 2 hours - the mixture should be showing signs of setting at this time. Break the mixture into ice crystals with a fork, and place it back into the freezer.
Repeat the breaking of the ice crystals about once every hour after this. Do this until all the liquid is converted to ice crystals.

You can serve the granita on its own, but I suggest pairing it with cream or yoghurt. Deliciousness!

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sweet mung bean dessert soup

Mung bean dessert soup with sweet potatoes.

I have recently started working at a restaurant - hurrah for free food! - but this also means that it reduces the likelihood that I spend time and effort on preparing my own meals. I do still love cooking, however, so I try to make the most of it when I have some spare time.

Simon is fairly ambivalent about Asian-style dessert soups - but I grew up with them and they are my comfort food. So when I had a day off, recently, I made a nice batch of mung bean soup with sweet potatoes and a gentle hint of ginger to satisfy my cravings. This soup is wonderfully simple, and it can be enjoyed hot or cold. I like it any time of the day - for breakfast, as a snack in between meals, or as a dessert. As far as sweet things go, this one is reasonably wholesome, so give it a go and let me know what you think!

mung bean dessert soup (with sweet potatoes and a touch of ginger)
(serves 4)

1 cup dried mung beans (also referred to as "green beans" in Chinese)
225g / 1/2 pound sweet potato, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
3cm / 1 inch ginger, peeled and roughly sliced
60g / 1/4 cup light palm sugar / brown sugar / raw sugar / Chinese yellow rock sugar

Soak the mung beans for about 2 hours.
Drain off the water, rinse the beans well, and place them in a saucepan with 4 cups of water, along with sweet potato chunks and ginger slices.
Bring the water to boil, and then reduce the heat to low. Let the mixture simmer, partially covered, for about 15 minutes.
Stir in sugar, and continue to cook the dessert soup for another 10 minutes or until the sugar completely dissolves and the texture of the beans and sweet potatoes are to your liking. Discard the ginger.
Serve your green bean soup warm, or allow it to cool down before covering it, chilling it in the fridge, and having it cold - it's delicious either way!

Note:
This dessert soup continues to thicken after cooking, and becomes almost porridge-like. If anything, this makes it more delightful!
Also, it should keep well in the fridge for 3 days or so.

Asian-style green bean dessert soup with sweet potatoes and a hint of ginger.

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happy 2016 + my gardening and cookbook resolutions...

Hello, kangaroo!

As 2016 gives me a gentle nudge, I reflect upon the past year.

2015 was, for me, a year for finding my feet. After the glorious whirlwind travels of 2014, I had to adapt to a new environment in 2015, one that in some ways felt even more foreign than some of the countries I visited outside of Australia. For so many years, I was an inner-city lass who was used to having a tram stop a stone's throw away from my apartment. Now I find myself residing close to the forest - or, as those of us in Australia say, bushland - saying hello to kangaroos and kookaburras.

Hello, kookaburra!

So what lies in store for me in 2016?

I am wary of making New Year's resolutions that don't end up going anywhere, but I have come up with at least a couple that are relevant to this food blog, which are achievable enough that there really is no excuse to not complete them. Feel free to give me a kick or two if it gets close to the end of the year and you still haven't seen any updates on how I'm going with these goals!

This year, I hope to do more gardening, with the aim of growing wholesome, edible things that I can enjoy in my meals. Right now, we have mint, chives, and tomatoes, and I hope to diversify further. Still early days, but I am super excited about the tomatoes at the moment. We bought some tomato plants from the shops, but we also have a few random ones in the garden - shown in this picture - that have just started growing from seeds in buried compost.

So looking forward to picking these tomatoes in the future.

A few years ago, I asked Simon for some cookbooks as birthday presents. Sheepishly, I have to admit that I am yet to try any recipes from these cookbooks. So my plan is to try at least two recipes from each cookbook this year, and blog about them!

Planning to travel the world through the pages of these vibrant cookbooks!

Too easy, right?

What are your plans for 2016? Please feel free to share in the comments section!

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mint-ginger strawberry-peach smoothie-mocktail

The combination of mint, ginger, strawberry and peach makes for a festive summer mocktail-smoothie.

Christmas is part of the deal that comes with summer in Australia, so here's a summer drink recipe that features the festive colours of red and green. Call it a smoothie, call it a mocktail, call it whatever you want. Zingy with ginger and fresh with mint, sweet with peaches and exuberant with strawberries, this is a pretty beverage that will cool you down and invigorate your spirits.

Plus, you can easily convert this into a fancy cocktail by simply adding a complementary spirit or liqueur. Something like gin would be nice, but there are so many possibilities - for example, vodka, rum, Campari or Pimm's No.1, just to name a few. Or top it up with champagne to produce an effervescent delight. Feel free to be creative with it!

mint-ginger strawberry-peach smoothie-mocktail
(serves 1)

2 soft, ripe peaches, peeled and pitted
1 cup frozen strawberries
1 tablespoon roughly chopped ginger
10 mint leaves
1 teaspoon honey (substitute with agave nectar / maple syrup to make it vegan-friendly)

Throw the peaches, strawberries, ginger and mint into the blender. Dissolve honey in 2/3 cup of water, and pour that in. Blend all the ingredients together until smooth, and you're done!

A pretty summer smoothie - lusciously red, with twinkling flecks of green.

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honey-balsamic nectarine salad with rocket and almonds

Honey-balsamic nectarine salad with rocket and almonds.

It's summertime in Australia, which means dealing with super-hot weather, but also, thankfully, super-juicy stone fruits. Nectarines can be pretty hit-and-miss, but I had some truly amazing nectarines last summer from the farmers market, so when I saw them popping up again I was quick to the purchase. This early-season batch isn't the best I've had, but they were still pretty decent. Paired with sweet honey, tangy balsamic vinegar, peppery rocket and toasty almonds, the charm of the nectarine definitely shines through in this super-simple salad recipe.

honey-balsamic nectarine salad with rocket and almonds

2 nectarines, sliced, cores discarded
3 cups rocket (also known as arugula)
1/4 cup almonds, toasted in a pan until fragrant
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon honey
salt and black pepper

Place nectarine slices, rocket leaves and toasted almonds in a salad bowl.
Whisk balsamic vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil and honey in a small bowl. Add salt and black pepper to taste.
Drizzle the honey-balsamic dressing onto the contents in the salad bowl, and toss everything together.

Nectarines, almonds and rocket/arugula tossed in a honey balsamic dressing makes for a simple salad.

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