These stuffed peppers with rice and ground beef is a breeze to make. It’s simple and looks amazing ! The trick is to use passata (tomato puree) for that silky sauce you can make in seconds to cook the peppers in.
gluten free
Lentil and Vegetable Soup with Parsley
We were thrilled when the sun started shining and the temperatures peaked to 25 degree Celsius. Oh! What glorious days they were. I even lamented to my husband that it’s too hot in the house and we should get a fan and wondered out loud about the benefits of an air conditioner like we had back in Dubai (gasp). As you imagined, the good weather didn’t last long and it’s back to the unpredictable weather. The other day we were walking to the town and then the library where we got soaked about 4 times. Bit of rain, then the sun, they played hide and seek and Ammar was sure the rain was targeting us. LOL! Every time we stepped out of a shop to the street, it would start pouring.
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Quinoa, Butternut Squash, Pomegranate Salad with Pumpkin Seeds
I’m not much into salads. There I said it. The salad played a essential but minor role in meals growing up. It was never, ever considered a main meal. It’s because the type of salads we had nicely complemented the Rice & Curry and gave that extra tang or crunch.
There was the cucumber salad which I love. Sliced cucumbers mixed with chopped onions and green chillies with a bit of fresh coconut milk and lime juice. I would sprinkle the liquid to my rice and the dish is elevated to the next level where I’d easily finsh off two portions.
And the raw grated carrot salad. Same method as the cucumber salad without the coconut milk. Then there’s the Gotukola salad. These are the salad we had mostly on rotation and was never eaten on it’s own. So I could never bring myself to have a salad as a main meal.
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Avocado Green Smoothie
I wasn’t a fussy kid when it comes to food. I pretty much ate and drank everything. If it tasted sweet, it became my favorite. Those days there was no skimping of sugar, nor exotic ingredients. Just the stuff you get from the grocer’s round the corner. The avocadoes are bought from the weekly trip to the Sunday market. Me and mom would leave home in the morning and take the half an hour bus ride to the market. I had a love/hate relationship with it. I love going to the market for fresh fruits. I’d get a mangosteen, peel it and devour it’s sweet flesh. Or a get a thambili (It’s called king coconut, a variety of coconut only used for it’s sweet water) to quench my thirst under a burning sun. Mom would haggle and buy mangoes,bananas and avocadoes by the dozen.
I hated the chaos in the market, To get to the main market complex where everything was well kept and neat, you have to pass a long route of dirty and muddy roads, vendors with their wares everywhere, the noise and jostling crowd. Not to mention the sun burning down on you.
Cinnamon Hazelnut Bread – Gluten, Dairy and Sugar Free
Breakfast is an important part of my day. I can never skip it. But I can’t sit down to a hearty breakfast still groggy-eyed and in my pj’s either. I start the day with a cup of tea and a digestive. Yes,that’s fuel for the heavy work to follow.
A half hour to one hour studies later, I’m off to make breakfast and lunch for boys and hubby. Waking them up, getting them fed and ready for school and work with packed meals in their bags requires copius amounts of energy. That’s where my tea and biscuit comes in handy. Ha.
Before I set to tackle the house which by this time looks like a whirlwind has passed through, I sit down for my proper breakfast. That is, I start cooking my morning meal. When you’re on a Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Sugar Free diet that’s the most sensible thing to do.
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Mildly Spiced Chicken Biryani
I love biryani. They aren’t confined to special occasions or days, they’re a comfort food. It warms my soul and nourishes my body. It saves me from those days where I stare at an open refrigerator wondering what vegetables to pair and what to cook. No,I’m not good at meal planning. So, having an easy recipe with ingredients I mostly have in my pantry is a relief.
The only two ingredients I didn’t have until now are the white poppy seeds and dried plums. But ever since I started making biryani this way they’ve become part of my pantry. For my Irish readers, poppy seed is available in most Asian stores. They come in a 200g pack and will last for a long time, I mean a very long time. Unless you use it to make lemon poppy seed muffins all the time. A favorite of mine which I should blog about. And the dried plums. They are different from prunes and comes with the seed. It has a sweet and mild sour taste and that too can be found in Asian stores. It will be great addition to any curry. The hulled white poppyseeds and dried plums can be seen in the picture below.
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Cinnamon Coconut Granola
It feels good to be back in this space after a long hiatus. I was away from the blog and social media enjoying a much needed break. I had taken a break from my studies too. ”What did she do? ” you may wonder. I read. Yes, a lot. I would go to my local library and bring as many books as I can carry. Fiction, Non- Fiction, Cookbooks. I read from morning to night. We each have different ways of relaxing,recouping. For me, it’s reading that does it. It’s theurapetic. I may not remember most of what I read now, nor I had the slightest idea to record the books I read. It’s the moments that mattered to me. The feeling that you get when you do what you enjoy, a time well spent.
I didn’t experiment much in the food front. I stuck to my comfy foods, foods that I know won’t cause me any insensitivies. But for some time now, I’ve been coming out of my comfort zone and trying different foods. Like the Hazelnut Bread recipe from ”The Ketogenic Kitchen” by Domini Kemp and Patricia Daly. The recipe for that will be coming soon. And this Granola. I should say that I’ve never been a ganola fan. Even when my husband was gorging on store-bought chocolate granola I stayed away. One reason was I couldn’t stomach the oats in it. And granola with milk didn’t appeal to me.
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Turmeric Milk
The things I do to keep myself warm. It wasn’t snowing this time here yet. But it’s unbelievably cold. I think I haven’t still got used to the cold. I don about 3 to 4 layers of cloth,the last being a soft and cozy robe. Last winter,I didn’t know a fleece robe is a quintessential winter clothing to be worn inside the house. Man,I suffered. A dear friend pulled me out of that misery. We talked about robes while she cooked me lunch wearing a soft blue one. This time around I never made that mistake. I bought not one but two robes. And bought them for hubby and kids too. I’m glad I converted my husband and he can never be seen around the house without his dark blue manly robe.
And then comes warm liquids. I haven’t craved for warm teas since my vacation days in Nuwara Eliya. Hill Country. The coldest part in Sri Lanka. We were once staying at Ambewela,near the famous milk factory. Every morning fresh milk was brought to the cottage,heated until steam comes forth,Mom would generously add heaps of tea leaves and sugar ,stirring until the color is just right.a sort of beige,and pour the steaming milk tea into our mugs. I would hold the mug as a precious jewel as dropping even a drop of that liquid gold was unthinkable. An utter waste. I would savor each gulp and never wanted that stream of hot tea down my throat to end.
Dairy Free Broccoli Soup
This is my first Autumn here in Ireland. I am in love with the scenery around me. The shades of trees from,green to the different hues of orange adorning the streets are a thing of beauty. And the falling leaves scattered around made me want to bring some home and photograph it. Which I did.The photo is in my Instagram feed.
The days are short and weather is getting colder. And I crave more warmth and often find myself in front of the heater or making something hot to drink or eat.
Growing up we had bone broth with lots of vegetables every week and that was called soup. A big bowl of rice with copious amounts of bone broth and spicy condiments was the norm for a Sunday lunch. Beads of perspiration would appear on my nose while I scrape down the last bit of the meal with the spicy sambal. That’s how it was supposed to be in the humid climate in Sri Lanka. It’s not that you crave soup in that weather rather it’s a norm, probably passed down from the Colonialists.
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Easy Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry
What you see above is a totally unplanned shot of our lunch last week.
I wasn’t planning to shoot anything that day but when I plated the meal it looked photogenic and I had beautiful early afternoon light streaming through my kitchen windows that was just perfect.I had to click.
It all happened too fast,with this dish. I had almost half an hour to cook lunch before I dash out the door to pick my hungry kids. A quick search online brought me this recipe which I was satisfied with as I had just the right ingredients,beef and broccoli..tada..
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Red Lentils with Coconut Milk – Sri Lankan Parippu
‘It’s December already. The end before new beginnings. The weather is very pleasant and I’m loving most of it. The mornings are cold and it’s hard to get the kids up from their cozy beds. Afternoons are bit warmer,though. But the warmth doesn’t come alone,it brings the cold breeze along with it. And you wish you could be that little girl again,playing outside until you’re tired.
In the evenings,we go for walks in the neighborhood, my husband joining us sometimes. I just love these little excursions with all three boys. Having Shawarma’s in the park,savoring every bite of lightly spiced meat and sauce while the cold breeze hits your face,watching the kids run around and chit-chatting with my husband. I couldn’t be any happier.
Back in Sri Lanka,when it comes to meal times,seeing the piping hot bowl of tempered Parippu (Red lentils/Dhal) makes most people happy. It’s a staple in our country. It’s a must when growing up. I have seen a many a kid’s faces wither away when they don’t see Parippu on their plate of Rice and Curry. My cousins refused to eat their food. Period.
Sweet Potato Nests
I get hit by serious sugar cravings in the evenings sometimes. Those are the days when I take an average breakfast as opposed to my tummy-loading ones. And when I wake up after dozing off trying to get my kids to nap. According to healthy mantras,I don’t stock anything for myself except some nuts and bran crackers. But I keep some chocolates and cookies around for kids.
So,when one of those cravings hit me,quite often recently,I frantically search for treasures tucked in corners of the cupboards.I won’t even spare a sideways glance at the fruits on the table,let alone the veggies and yogurt in the refrigerator.Please God,let their be a piece of forgotten chocolate or some cookies around.What about that jar of Nutella tucked away in the farthest end of the cupboard? Finally,I’ve found treasure. I slather a spoonful of nutella on my bran cracker and munch. spread,munch.spread,munch. It continues till I get sick of the whole thing.
So,when one of those cravings hit me,quite often recently,I frantically search for treasures tucked in corners of the cupboards.I won’t even spare a sideways glance at the fruits on the table,let alone the veggies and yogurt in the refrigerator.Please God,let their be a piece of forgotten chocolate or some cookies around.What about that jar of Nutella tucked away in the farthest end of the cupboard? Finally,I’ve found treasure. I slather a spoonful of nutella on my bran cracker and munch. spread,munch.spread,munch. It continues till I get sick of the whole thing.
Ground Rice Balls “Aggala”
It’s no myth that blogosphere has so many wonderful things to offer.Recipes that has amazing and an uncommon list of ingredients to the mouthwatering and saliva drooping food photos,you name it,you got it all. The most wonderful thing that offers, according to me is the hand of friendship.
Isn’t it amazing to find a friend who has the same tastes,similar opinions
I met Raji online through the Fooderati Arabia and met in person at one of the foodie tours around Dubai. We clicked off immediately. She is this warm,friendly,down to earth person. And we have some meet ups planned and I’m sure we’re going to enjoy it.
You can meet Raji on her delightful vegetarian blog, Vegetarian Tastebuds. Make sure to follow her on Facebook and Twitter too.
Prawns in Mild Coconut Curry
This month has been hectic so far. My elder son Ammar,one of the twins,came down with the fever. I should have expected this,with the weather change. We were sand blasted for a couple of days. The winds scattered copious amount of sand in to the roads and to our balcony too. A sign that chilly mornings and nights will be changing into warm ones. When that and it’s opposite happens-that is,warm days turn in to chilly ones-kids fall sick. It always catches me off guard.
Eggplants in Tomato Sauce
They say that when you don’t have anything to start a conversation with,talk about the weather.The weather is playing havoc these days. Just yesterday our car read the temperature as 24 degree Celsius outside. It wasn’t much cold in Dubai this time. Kids weren’t wearing any extra clothing other than their usual summertime shorts and pants. Even the AC was running throughout the night for a few days unlike last year where it remained forgotten for a good few months. But I remember back in Qatar,I had to buy heaters to keep us warm. I was feeling a bit sad,that the winter is coming to an end so soon,even before it started.And that soon,the harsh summer will be upon us.
But it had read 15 degree Celsius in the morning today and S wanted me to bring the kid’s jackets to the car to take them to school. Sure enough,it was chilly and windy. I loved it. I hope the winter will last long. And the summer will be far and short.
Srilankan Milk Rice-kiribath
Happy New Year to all of you! I wish you a happy 2012 filled with lots of love,joy and laughter.
Here’s to new beginnings with a traditional Coconut Milk Rice or Kiribath,the way we Srilankans celebrate new year, be it Roman or the traditional Sinhalese new year. Kiribath makes it’s way into every important event or auspicious moment in a Lankan’s life.
Milk Toffees with Nuts
Muslims all over the world celebrate Eid this week.The festival of sacrifice.It is one of the two most important Islamic festivals, Eid al-Adha begins on the 10th day of Dhu’l-Hijja, the last month of the lunar Islamic calendar. Lasting for three days, it occurs at the conclusion of the annual Hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca.
Eid Al-Adha commemorates Prophet Abraham’s willingness to obey God when he envisioned that he was to sacrifice his son. Muslims observe this day by slaughtering an animal (usually a sheep) and then offering much of its meat in charity to poor people.
Curried meatballs with tomato sauce
Sometimes you wish for uninterrupted “me time”- the most precious word and activity in the world of motherhood.Oh yeah..! .To cook the food,to shoot some pictures,to blog about it,you need peace.But Alas! when I have all the uninterrupted time in the world now that the kids are asleep,suddenly I realize it’s too late at night and I’m dozing off,that I have a whole lot of shopping and cooking to do tomorrow for Eid.So,I’ll leave you with a simple and easy to make recipe that have made it’s way into my weekly menus which goes well rotis.
I’m not much of a minced meat user,but was tempted to buy it after I saw a cooking program in which they were turned into beautiful burgers.But I do make my Mediterranean Rice with Minced Meat and Chickpeas which is a family favorite quite often,to which the recipe will follow later.
Red Rice Porridge
The delicious red rice is a staple in my country.This long grain beauty clothed in a red husk is minimally processed and has a high nutritional value.When cooked it imparts a deep rich color which is an absolute beauty.I have tried cooking brown rice and every time it fails to satisfy me.Even if I soak it for hours and hours and add bucketfuls of water or stock it never gets done properly but the red rice cooks fast and has a nutty flavor(yeah,when I mean cooked,it’s fully cooked and not make you feel you’re tasting soaked rice after simmering for half an hour as in the case of brown rice.) .
This dish is enjoyed on lazy weekend mornings and a staple in my household.Kids love it as it is and grown ups with a touch of spice and heat,like the hot mango pickle that I’ve used here or a spicy sambol.
Shrimp String-hoppers Biryani
There’s so much to do in this blessed month of Ramadan.First let me wish my readers a Blessed Ramadan,even though this comes pretty late it’s something I had to do now that I have followers.Thanks guys for making my days!!
Even though what I am not going to say next is not in anyway related to food blogging,I need to get it out and across.You must have heard about the famine in Africa,specially in Somalia.There were about 29,000 child deaths in the past 9 months.Having lost a baby brother when growing up and as a mother of two little kids I felt strongly about this.Specially knowing that,this could be avoided with a bit of help from all of us.Here in Dubai,we have SMS services that donate money and Government sites where you can login and deposit your Sadaqatul Fitr or charity online.Spread the word around.Please ask dua for them specially when breaking fast. And find out how you can help from your country or area.
Having said that,in this holy month there are always Iftar get together’s to look forward to.Back at home,a quite popular Iftar dinner menu is string hoppers made with either wheat flour or rice flour cause it makes a light dinner.Making it from scratch looked quite labourous to me,but the elders enjoyed it and it was team work.How I miss those days!
So,here in Dubai,I was happy to find ready-made string hoppers making it easy for me to throw an Iftar dinner without much hassle.This is what I did when one of our friends came for Iftar the other day and it made a tasty light dinner perfect for Ramadan nights.
Chicken curry
I love cooking chicken this way.This is how the chicken curry is made in our household as far as I can remember.The spices that are crushed and added in final stages of cooking brings out such a nice flavor and aroma which I defenitely look forward to enjoying.
Ingredients
1 whole chicken cleaned and cut into pieces
2 ” cinnamon pieces
1 bay leaf
2 cardomom and clove pods each
curry leaves
1 green chilli chopped
1 large onion chopped
1 large tomato chopped
1 tbsp tomato paste
3 pods of garlic and 1′ inch ginger crushed
1/4 tsp turmeric
2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp kashmiri chili powder
some cumin seeds,fennel seeds and pepper corns crushed(save for last)
1/4 cup of thick coconut milk
oil
2 ” cinnamon pieces
1 bay leaf
2 cardomom and clove pods each
curry leaves
1 green chilli chopped
1 large onion chopped
1 large tomato chopped
1 tbsp tomato paste
3 pods of garlic and 1′ inch ginger crushed
1/4 tsp turmeric
2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp kashmiri chili powder
some cumin seeds,fennel seeds and pepper corns crushed(save for last)
1/4 cup of thick coconut milk
oil
Method
- Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan and add cinnamon,bay leaf, cardamom,clove and curry leaves.
- Add the onions,a pinch of salt and cook till the onions turn soft and add in the crushed ginger garlic paste.
- Fry for a while till it turns light brown in color and add the chopped tomatoes and the spices.
- Add a little bit a of water and cover and cook for till the tomatoes are soft.Add in the tomato paste,chicken,a cup of water,salt and cook till the chicken is done.
- Stir the coconut milk in and heat it through.
- Two to three minutes before you switch off the fire add the crushed spices.Adjust seasoning.
*Notes:
- I have reduced the amount of chili powder because i feed this to my kids and added tomato paste to retain the reddish color.You can add more chilli powder if you want to fire things up a bit.
- When I’m too lazy or pressed for time to extract the coconut milk I use about 2 tbsp plain yogurt.
