Food is a language and it speaks the language everyone understand, it’s as a global language. No need of interpreters or translators but just to fulfil hunger with common sense and understanding, with palatable desire to try and have a moment of truth with self-realisation of to fulfil that hunger.

Food bring us the memory and precise moment of that time we had that food, even smell of that food triggers the whole seen. Today, we find it much easier, more available and in wide range. It’s an unavoidable reality in our daily lives, not try something new.

We love to have a wonderful feast on our comforting day or for a special occasion or even friendly gatherings or a surprise that immense excitement. As I began my food journey many years back and running my own YouTube channel, I am very excited as always to go for some extra mile with some innovative and intermarriage of ingredients or cultural norms of foods to get in to peoples table. Its fun, feeling fantastic and creating those new memories of that precise moment.

I found wonders in flavour with some of my own background from Sri Lankan recipes, combine with some other origins of recipes. Furthermore, gives the taste in unique and combine heavenly explosion of flavours. As I would love to present this combined and innovated recipes; for you to try.   

Serves: 4 to 6 people

Prep & Cook Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes

Saffron threads (stamen of the flower) are plucked from Crocus Sativus (Saffron Crocus) flower

and it has been used for many purpose, specially health or herbal, colour, flavour and smell.

Its one of the expensive spice as it needs to be harvested by hand.

 A perfect feast to comfort with intense warmth and delicate flavour.

INGREDIENTS

TO COOK THE LAMB:

 Lamb 1.5 kg to 2 kg

Saffron 1/2 tsp

Cinnamon 3/4 stick

Cardamom 6

Cloves 5

Black Peppercorn 15

Cumin Seeds 1 tsp

Onion 1 medium

Garlic 3 to 4 cloves

Salt 11⁄2 tsp or to taste

Water 13⁄4 liter

TO COOK THE RICE:

 Basmathi Rice 1kg or 4 cup

Saffron 1⁄2 tsp

Ghee 2 tbsp

Cashew and Raisins handful

TO SAUTE LAMB:

 Sri Lankan Capsicum 3 medium

Onion 1 medium

Garlic 3 cloves

Vegetable Oil 5 tbsp

Salt to taste

Cooking the Lamb slow will give a complete flavour to it. Maintaining the right amount of all the ingredients gives a perfection in taste and texture in Lamb and the rice.

METHOD

 1 In a large Pot; Cook the Lamb by adding Saffron, Cinnamon, Cardamom, Cloves, Peppercorn, Cumin Seeds, Salt, Onion cut in to four pieces and Garlic with Water to fill. Cook all in Medium heat for 1 hour till Lamb cooked. Make sure to give a good stair every 20 minutes.

2.Wash and drain the rice, for about half hour.

3. After Lamb cooked, take out the Lamb pieces, set aside to drain and add the rice in to that stock with ½tsp saffron. Cook about 5 minutes in law heat.

4.In a separate pan, add the Ghee to heat and roast the Cashew nut and raisins till golden.

5.Add the Roasted Cashew, raisins and ghee to the cooked rice pot, gently stir and cook for another 7 minutes or till rice cooked for its consistency.

Sautéed Lamb

1. In a large Sauté Pan; Heat the vegetable oil, add finely chopped Garlic, sliced Onion and Capsicums seasoned with Salt give a good stir. Sauté for few minutes and add the cooked drained Lamb pieces. Stir well to combine few minutes. Avoid overcooking or dry stir the Lamb as it could become hard to eat.

2.Add the Saffron Rice in a serving dish and top it up with the Sautéed Lamb. Make sure to serve this dish hot. This dish is very rich and elegant flavour packed. To give a boost this dish, we going to make a Fried Aubergine and Mint Sambal. All combined together, will make a heavenly blast.

Aubergine’s pasty consistency will give a perfect impression to any dry or no dry foods. It has a unique ability of intermingle with a dish, even its little bit of bitter flavour could bring flavourful experience to any combine dish.

Ingredients

To Marinate and Deep Fry:

Aubergine 400g

Turmeric Powder ½ tsp

Oil to Fry             

Salt ½ tsp

To Sauté:

Oil 2 tbsp

Garlic 3 cloves

Green Chilli 3 medium

Onion 1 medium 

Curry leaves handful

Make sure not to over burn while frying; it could give more bitter flavour to the Aubergine.

METHOD

1.Cut the Aubergine lengthwise, make sure it has intact to the stem.

2.Add Turmeric powder and Salt to taste; mix them well. 

3.Deep fry the marinated Aubergines and set a side

4.In a sauté pan, add the Oil to heat.

5.Add finely sliced Garlic, sliced Onion, sliced Green Chilli and Curry leaves; Sauté well.

6. Add the deep fried Aubergine, and give a good mix to combine.

Mint is a fantastic herb and has been used in many ways for thousands of years. When it comes to cutlery purpose, there are no boundaries to use in many dishes. With its amazing health benefits, it has a unique flavour; which always been considered to be a unique herb in the kitchen. There are many variety of mint plant species, and depend on the environment you could find it any variety to help with enhancing the flavour in any dish. I am bringing this unique and innovated Mint Sambal, which has been traditionally used in many special occasions in Sri Lanka.

Ingredients

Mint Leaves 100g

Scraped Fresh Coconut 75g

Tamarind Paste 2 tbsp

Green Chilli 1 small

Onion ¼ piece

Lime 1 tbsp

Salt ½ tsp or to taste

Thick Tamarind paste will be best suit to elevate flavour

Roasting the coconut gives a perfect flavour and make perfect consistency.

METHOD

1.Take a pan and roast the fresh scraped coconut, till golden brown and set aside to cool.

2.It’s best to use fresh Tamarind. To get the pulp or paste; take 1 tbsp of Tamarind, add a little bit of hot water and squeeze.

3. Take the blender; add all the ingredients and blend well to get the Mint Sambal Paste. Add a tiny little bit of water, in case if it’s too thick and hard to blend.

No feast is complete without a guilt free heavenly dessert. Sutlac is a Turkish version of Rice Pudding; as there are many variation of rice pudding has been innovated through many countries and comes many version, yet an amazing way I have innovated it with an intense and soft flavour; which complements very well to the feast we are making.

 Ingredients

Rice ¼ cup

Semolina 1tbsp

Milk 2 cup  

Sugar ½ cup

Rose Syrup 2tbsp

For Topping:

Milk 3tbsp

Egg yolk 1

Vanilla 1tsp

METHOD

1.Wash the Rice and leave to soak in the water at least 30 minutes.

2.Take a pan and cook the soaked Rice with a little bit of water.

3.Add the Milk, Sugar, Semolina and mix well to combine. Leave to cook like porridge.

4.Make sure to maintain the porridge, if becomes thicken; add little bit of hot water.

5.Add the Rose syrup and stir well.

6.Add to ovenproof dessert cups and let it cool well.

7.For Topping; in a bowl, add the Milk, egg yolk and vanilla. Beat well to combine.

8.Top it up on the cooled Sutlac dessert as a top layer.

9.Leave it in the hot oven, to cook the top part till become golden brown.

10.  Best to enjoy this chilled

By Rishada Begam