Itty bitty pearl onions are tasty, but I think I just don’t have the patience to cook with them often. It takes so long to peel a bunch of them! Once in a while, for a treat.
Getting Better
I’m never going to love recording video, but I did this in three takes, so I’m clearly getting better at the process. Part of Kickstarter video for Vegan Serendib, 1.5 minutes.
Moru Thanni / Spiced Yogurt Drink
Note — you can, of course, make this with regular yogurt, which would be standard in Sri Lanka, but I’m working on a vegan cookbook, so…
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Moru Thanni / Spiced Yogurt Drink
(15 minutes, serves 4)
On a hot day, this a wholesome way to cool down!
1 c. vegan yogurt (use your favorite; I like Culina, which is coconut milk based, but versions based on cashews would also work for this)
1/2 t. asafoetida powder / hing (optional)
1/2 – 2 t. salt (to taste)
3-4 c. water (to your desired drinking consistency)
1/2 red onion, chopped fine
1 green chili, chopped fine
1 t. coriander leaves, chopped fine
1 t. vegetable oil
1 t. black mustard seeds
1-2 T lime juice (to taste)
1. In a large pouring container, mix yogurt with asafoetida powder (if using) and salt.
2. Add 2-4 c. water, stirring to combine, to your desired drinking consistency.
3. Add chopped onion, green chili, and coriander to the beverage.
4. In a small pan on high, heat oil and add mustard seeds. When they start to splutter, remove from heat and add to the beverage, stirring to combine.
5. Add lime juice and adjust seasonings to taste. Serve cold as a refreshing beverage; it can also be served as an accompaniment to a rice meal, and in that instance, would be poured over the rice.
NOTE: To turn this into a refreshing cocktail, feel free to add a shot or two of arrack to the glass!
Yaalpana Kaththarikaii Poriyal / Jaffna Whole Eggplant Fry
(serves 2-4, 15-30 minutes)
Sometimes the simplest dishes are the most fabulous — the base version of this whole eggplant fry uses just a few ingredients (cayenne, turmeric, salt, and hot oil) for delicious and dramatic results. It also dresses up beautifully for a fancier night out, offering grace notes of shallot, green chili, and cherry tomato.
roughly 1 lb. small eggplants (you can use Indian, Chinese, or other varieties; the key is that they be relatively small)
1 T cayenne
1 t. ground turmeric
1 t. salt
oil for deep-frying
1 large shallot, diced small
1 green chili, diced small
1 stalk curry leaves, about a dozen
about a dozen cherry tomatoes, halved
salt & lime juice to taste
1. Make eight slits down the sides of the eggplants.
2. Mix the cayenne, turmeric, and salt, and rub the spices into the slits (it’s fine if they’re detached completely at the bottom, which will make it easier to rub in spices).
3. Heat oil for deep frying (around 375F if using a thermometer) and fry the whole eggplants until they brown evenly, about 3-5 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
NOTE: You can stop the recipe here and just eat the fried eggplants as is, with rice. Delicious! Or you can add a few more steps for a more complex version.
4. To a sauté pan, add a few T of the oil from deep frying, and add diced shallot, diced chili, curry leaves, and tomatoes. Cook on medium-high, stirring, about 5 minutes, until onions are golden-translucent and tomatoes have softened.
5. Add whole fried eggplant to pan and cook an additional 5-10 minutes, stirring; taste and adjust seasonings — you may want to add 1/2 t. salt, or up to a T of lime juice at this point. Serve hot with rice, and enjoy!
Bonda
This is a crispy chickpea batter snack, filled with fluffy, light seasoned potatoes, commonly sold by street vendors and packed in tiffin containers. You can serve bondas with any chutney you like — cilantro, coconut, mint, tamarind, tomato, etc. Best eaten while still hot!
Filling:
2 medium potatoes (about 1 lb.)
1/2 t. black mustard seed
2 dried red chilies, broken into pieces
2 small onions, finely chopped (about 2 c.)
1 small green chili, finely chopped
2 stalks fresh curry leaves
1/2 t. fine salt
1 c. water
1/2 t. lime juice
2 T vegetable oil
Batter:
1 c. chickpea flour
2 T rice flour
2 pinches baking soda
1/2 t. fine salt
1/4 t. ground turmeric
1 c. warm water
additional vegetable oil for deep-frying
1. Boil potatoes until cooked through, drain and let cool. Peel and mash the potatoes.
2. Heat 2 T oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat; add mustard seeds and dried chilies; fry for a minute. Then add onion and green chili, turn down to medium and cook, stirring as needed, until onion is golden-translucent.
3. Add the mashed potato, curry leaves, 1/2 t. salt, 1 c. water, 1/2 t. lime juice. Cook, stirring periodically, until water is absorbed and the mixture is thick.
4. Remove pan from heat, remove any large pieces of dried chili and any large curry leaves. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired, let cool, and refrigerate until firm. Shape the mixture into small balls. (The balls of seasoned potato can be wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated for a few days if desired.)
5. Make batter: combine ingredients and whisk until well-blended.
6. Heat oil for deep-frying (to about 375F if you have a food thermometer). Dip the potato balls in to the batter, then deep-fry for a few minutes, until golden. Remove to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain, and serve warm, with chutney.
Cherry Clafoutis
Cherries Have Come Into Season, Hooray!
I expect to be mostly made of cherries for a while…
Kadalai Sundal / Stir-fried Chickpea Snack
(serves 4-8, 90 minutes + soaking time)
Sundals are savory snacks; this one is popular served in a newspaper cone, to be nibbled at while strolling on a sunny beach. Fluffy seasoned chickpeas offer healthy nutrition, but more importantly, they’re delicious!
2 c. dried chickpeas, soaked overnight (or 4 15 oz. cans)
2-3 T vegetable oil
8-10 red pearl onions (or 2-3 large shallots), sliced finely
3-5 dried red chilies, broken into pieces
1/2 t. cayenne
1 t. salt
1 T lime juice
1 c. green mango, chopped
1. Drain chickpeas and rinse in cold water.
2. Heat oil in a large pot on medium-high; add onions (or shallots) and chilies; sauté stirring until onions are translucent.
3. Add chickpeas, cayenne, and salt to the same pot, with sufficient water to cover. Bring to a boil, then turn down and cook until tender, approximately 1 hr. Near the end of cooking, remove lid and let any remaining water boil off; for the final result, chickpeas should be glistening with a light sheen of oil.
4. Remove from heat and stir in lime juice and chopped mango; mix thoroughly and serve as a snack, or as an accompaniment to a rice and curry meal.
NOTE: Common variations include sautéing mustard seeds, curry leaves, and/or chopped green chili with the onions, and stirring in fresh coconut and/or chopped raw onion at the end.
Now All I Need Is a Beach in Sri Lanka…
All Mixed Up
