Sri Lankan Vegetable Dishes

ASH PLANTAIN / GREEN BANANA FRIED CURRY

Ingredients

1 lb ash plantains or green banana
1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 green chillies
1 1/2 tsp salt
1'' cinnamon
1 cardomom
1 sprig curry leaves
1 1/2 tsp red chillie powder
1/2 tsp fenugreek
2 ozs onions
1 medium sized tomato
3tsp lime juice
1/2 inch rampe
oil for deep frying
ground turmeric
coconut milk

Method

Peel and cut the ash plantain or green banana into 1 1/2 inch long fingers. Rub with salt and turmeric and deep fry till golden brown.
Peel and cut the onions, green chillies and tomato. Add all the ingredients to the coconut milk(except the plantains) and boil till the onions are done and the gravy is thick.
Add the fired plantains, bring to the boil again and simmer for about 5-7 minutes.

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CASHEW CURRY WITH MIXED VEGETABLES

Ingredients

Cashews(raw) 500g
1 tspn baking powder
1 tspn turmeric powder
1 tspn unroasted curry powder
2 or 3 large carrots cut into small cubes
green peas 200g
1 cinnamon stick
1 onion sliced
curry leaves and rampe(pander leaves)
Cooking oil for tempering
Salt to taste
Coconut milk(thick)

Method

Place the cashews in a bowl and pour boiling water and add 1tspn baking powder and soak overnight. Drain the excess water and wash well before cooking. Then heat 1tbspn cooking oil in a pan and when it's hot add the sliced onions and stir well. When the onions turn golden brown add the curry leves, rampe and the cinnamon stick and stir well. Now add the cashews, salt, turmeric powder and unroasted curry powder and mix well. Then add sufficient water and cook well. When the cashews are done add the cubed carrots and green peas and cook for few more minutes. Lastly add thick coconut milk and bring it to a boil and remove from the stove and enjoy.

Good for parties

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POTATO STIR FRY (DEEP FRIED)

Ingredients

6 large potatoes
1 large onion sliced
2 tspn crushed red chillies
Salt to taste
1 sprig curry leaves
1 stick cinnamon
1 tspn maldive fish(optional)

Method

Peel the potatoes and cut them into 2cm cubes. Add sufficient salt and deep fry them until golden brown. Now heat a pan and add 1 tbspn cooking oil and add the onions. Cook them until golden brown. Then add the curry leves, cinnamon stick, maldive fish and stir fry for few minutes. Now add the fried potato cubes with 2 tspn crushed red chillies and mix well. Add a little salt if desired and enjoy.

Good for parties

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MUSHROOM STIR-FRY

Ingredients
1 pk Button Mushrooms or any other kind
1 Onion Sliced
Chopped ginger and garlic
Sliced green or red bell pepper
Salt to taste
1 tspn unroasted curry powder
Soy Sauce
1 teaspoon crushed dried red chilli
Margarine or Cooking oil
1 small Tomato

Method

Wash the Mushrooms well and slice them.Get all the other Ingredients ready.Heat a pan and add Margarine or 1tbsn cooking oil.Toss the sliced onions and let it brown.Then add sliced bell pepper(you can use green chillies),chopped garlic and ginger.Now add the mushrooms and stir well.Then add Unroasted curry powder,soy sauce and crushed chilli.Stir well and close the lid for a while .Now add the sliced tomato and take it out of the stove.(Mushrooms contains water.So no need to add extra water)

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CHICKPEA STIR FRY (KADALA THEL DALA)

Ingredients

3 cups cooked chickpeas(Gabanzo beans)
1 large onion sliced
1 sprig curry leaves
Salt to taste
2 tspn crushed red chillies
2 or 3 dried red chillies for tempering
2 tspn mustard seeds
Cooking oil

Method

If using raw chickpea, soak in water overnight and wash and drain well. Then cook the chickpeas with sufficient water and alittle bit of salt and turmeric powder(Better if you can use a pressure cooker). When the chickpeas are tender remove from stove and drain the excess water. Now heat a pan and add 1 tbsn cooking oil and toss the sliced onions. When they are golden brown add the curry leaves, dried whole red chillies and mustard seeds and stir well. Then add the chickpes and cruched red chillies and stir well. Add salt to taste and enjoy.

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DHAL (LENTIL) CURRY

Ingredients
2 Cups Masoor Dhal
Unroasted curry powder
Turmeric powder
Salt to taste

Tempering Ingredients
1/2 of an Onion sliced
1 clove garlic finely chopped
1 Sprig curry leaf
Pander leaf(rampe)
2 tspn Mustard seeds
1 tspn Cumin seeds
2 or 3 dried red chillies

Method

Wash the Dhal well and add sufficient water.Then add unroasted curry powder and turmeric powder and cook well.When the Dhal is done add salt to taste.Now add a little coconut milk and take it out of the stove.
For tempering heat a non stick pan and add a little cooking oil and brown the sliced onions.Then add the rest of the Ingredients.Lastly add a little bit of red chillie powder for a nice aroma and taste.Take it out of the stove and add it to the dhal curry and mix well.

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BANANA FLOWER STIR FRY(KESEL MUWA THEL DALA)

Ingredients

1 Banana Flower
1 large Onion
1 clove of garlic
2 green chillies
1 tbsn Maldive fish
Salt to taste
Crushed dried red chillie
Tamarind or Vinegar

Method

Peel the outer skin of the banana flower.Chop it into very small pieces.Soak it in salt water and drain well.Heat a pan and add a little cooking oil and add the chopped banana flower.Let fry for awhile.Now add sliced onions,Chopped garlic ,maldive fish ,salt and sliced green chillies and stir well.Then add tamarind juice or vinegar and cook well.

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POLOS (GREEN JACK FRUIT) CURRY

Ingredients

1 Green Jack fruit(2 cans of green jack fruit)
Unroasted curry powder
Red chillie powder
Chopped green chillie
Chopped garlic
Sliced onions
1 stick cinnamon
1 tspn mustard seeds
Curry leaves and rampe
1 cup coconut milk
Salt to taste

Method

Peel the skin of the jack fruit and cut it in to suitable pieces.Heat a pot(use a pressure cooker if possible) and add a little cooking oil and temper the onions.Then add curry leaves,Rampe,mustard seeds,1 stick cinnamon,chopped garlic and green chillies.Now add the green jack fruit and chillie powder,salt and unroasted curry powder and mix well.Add sufficient water cook well.When it's done add thick coconut milk and bring it to a boil.Finally add a little black roasted curry powder(kaku kudu) and shake well.

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EGGPLANT SALAD(WAMBATU SALAD)

Ingredients

1 1/2 lb Egg plant(Brinjal)
1 bell pepper thinly sliced
1 large onion thinly sliced
1 tomato cut into cubes
Tamarind juice or vinegar
Red chillie powder
Salt to taste
Sugar to taste

Method

Wash the eggplant(brinjals) well and cut into 2 inch size pieces. Coat them with salt and a little turmeric powder and deep fry until egg plant is golden brown. Now cut all the above ingredients and place them in a dish. Then add the fried eggplants and season with salt, sugar, 1 tspn red chillie powder and tamarind juice or vinegar and mix well.

This is a delicious easy to make dish and also good for parties.

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GREEN BEANS WITH PARMESAN CHEESE

Ingredients

Green beans 1lb
chopped onions
chopped garlic and ginger
Turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese or any other cheese

Method

Wash the green beans well and cut them into small pieces.Keep all the other ingredients ready.Now heat a pan with some margarine or butter.When it's heated add the onions.When it's light brown add garlic,ginger and turmeric powder.Now add the green beans and cover the lid and cook well.Add a little water if desired.When the green beans are cooked sprinkle the cheese on top and serve it.

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CABBAGE STIR-FRY

Ingredients

1 Cabbage
2 or 3 carrots
chopped ginger
crushed dried red chillies
Cooking oil
Salt to taste
Vinegar
3 green chillies

Method

Wash the cabbage well.Shredd the cabbage or cut it very thinly and set aside.Peel the carrots and grate the carrots.Heat a large pan and add some oil. When it's hot add the cabbage and stir-fry well.When it's done add the carrots, chopped ginger, chopped green chillies, salt, vinegar and stir well. Now add crushed red chillies and remove from fire.

Good for parties

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MANGO CURRY

Ingredients

2 Mangoes
Sliced onions
curry leaves and Rampe(pander leaves)
1-2 green chillies
1 stick Cinnamon
Cooking oil for tempering
turmeric powder
Red chillie powder
Curry powder
Coconut milk
Salt to taste
1 tbpn Sugar

Method

Wash the Mangoes well and cut them into desired pieces.Heat a pan and add a little cooking oil and temper the onions and curry leaves and Rampe.Then add turmeric powder, curry powder, chillie powder and let it fry for a while. Now add maldive fish, salt, Mango and coconut milk and let it cook.When it's done add a little sugar and remove from fire.

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BAKED POTATOES

Ingredients

7 or 8 Medium Potatoes
red chillie powder
table salt
1 tspn olive oil or cooking oil

Method

Wash the potatoes well and Cut each potato lengthwise in quarters.Do not peel.Pat dry the potatoes with a paper towel to remove the excess water.Now sprinkle them with salt,red chillie powder.Then add a little olive oil and mix them well.Line them up in a non stick tray or a foil tray. Bake, uncovered, at 375F degrees for about 25minutes or until it turns golden brown in one side.Remove from the oven and turn them other side and bake until tender when pierced.

This is a easy to prepare and a healthy way to eat potatoes.

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MALAY PICKLE

Ingredients

Banana peppers(malu miris) 250 g
small red onions 250 g
carrots 100 g
Dates 250 g
Sugar 100 g
Vinegar
Grinded mustard powder
chopped garlic and Ginger
Red chillie powder 60 g
2 pickled lime
1/2 cup cubed pineapple
Salt to taste

Method

Cut the carrots into thin stipes, Bananna peppers into regular size pieces, Onions into two(if they are big),pickled lime and Dates into thin stripes and set aside.
Now add vinegar, grinded mustard powder, chopped garlic and ginger, red chillie powder into a pan and cook for a while.Add sugar and stir well. When the mixture is boiling add the carrots, banana peppers, Dates, pineapple, pickeled lime and mix well.After a while remove from fire.

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BITTERGOURD (KARAVILA) CURRY

Ingredients

1 lb Indian Bittergourd(karewila)
Sliced Onions
1 green chillie
1 clove Garlic crushed
Curry leaves and Rampe(pander leaves)
Red chillie powder
Unroasted curry powder
Salt to taste
Tamarind juice
Cooking oil

Method

Wash the Bitter gourd well and cut them into small pieces. Heat a pan and add a little cooking oil and brown the sliced onions. Then chopped green chillies , garlic and curry leaves. Then add the bittergourd and stir it well. Now add red chillie powder, curry powder and salt to taste. Finally add thick tamarind juice and cook well.

You can find Bittergourd at Indian stores in the frozen section.

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CAULIFLOWER STIR FRY

Ingredients

1 head cauliflower, in florets, halved
Crushed red chillies
Turmeric powder
1 tbsn Maildive fish
Salt to taste
Soy sauce
Unroasted curry powder
Vinegar or Tamarind juice
Chopped garlic and ginger
Chopped green chillies
1 large Onion sliced

Method

Wash the Cauliflower florets well and cut the florents in half if they are two large and set aside. Heat a skillet or a non stick pan and add a little cooking oil. When it's hot add the sliced onions and temper until light brown. Now add the chopped ingredients and stir well. Then add the cauliflower florets with salt to taste, crushed red chillies, a little curry powder, turmeric powder(for color) and stir well. Then add vinegar or tamarind juice and cover the lid and cook until well done.(can add chicken broth or a soup cube for better flavor)

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PINEAPPLE CURRY

Ingredients

1 Pineapple peeled and cut into cubes or 2 cans pineapple chunks
Red chillie powder
Unroasted curry powder
Salt to taste
sugar
1 onion sliced
1 clove garlic chopped
2 green chillies chopped
1 sprig curry leaves

Method

Heat a pan and add little cooking oil. When it's hot add the sliced onions and when it turns light brown add the chopped ingredients and curry leaves and stir well. Then add the pineapple(if using canned ones drain the juice and set aside) with red chillie powder, a little curry powder and cook well.Add salt to taste.You can add the a little drained juice when cooking. When it's done add a little coconut milk and add a little sugar just before removing the pan from the stove.

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ELA BATU CURRY (THAI EGG PLANT CURRY)

Ingredients

2 lbs Thai egg plant(ela batu)
1/2 onion sliced
1 clove garlic chopped
1 tspn maldive fish
1 green chillie chopped
1 tspn turmeric powder
2 tspn unroasted curry powder
Few curry leves
1 cup coconut milk

Method

Place the Thai egg plant(ela batu) in a shopping bag and seal it by tying a knot. Then tap on the batu using something heavy until they cracks. Remove from bag and discard the stem and the seeds in the middle and wash them well. Cut if the pieces are too big and set aside. Now heat a pan and add a little cooking oil and add the sliced onions. When it's light brown add chopped garlic, green chillies, curry leaves and maldive fish and stir well. Then add the ela batu pieces and add a little turmeic powder, curry powder and salt to taste. Add a little water and let it simmer for 8 to 10 minutes. When it's done add coconut milk and cook for few more minutes and remove from fire.Add a little lime juice if desired.

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TEMPERED SPINACH WITH DHAL (LENTILS)

Ingredients

1 cup Toor Dhal (lentils)
1/2 tspn turmeric powder
1 tspn curry powder
Water to boil
Salt to taste

Method

Wash the Dhal well and boil with turmeric and curry powder. When the lentils are cooked drain the excess water and add salt to taste and set aside(If you over cook the lentils it will be hard to temper).

Tempering Ingredients
1 bunch spinach (you can use 1 pk frozen spinach-thawed)
1/2 onion sliced
2-3 dried red chillies
1 tspn mustard seeds
1 sprig curry leaves
1/2 tspn chillie powder
1 tspn crushed red chillies
1 clove garlic chopped
1 tspn lime juice or tamarind juice(optional)

Method

Wash and cut the spinach into large pieces and let it dry in a colander. When it's dry place a non-stick pan in a stove over medium heat and add 1 tbsn cooking oil and temper the onions. When the onions turn golden brown add the curry leaves, mustard seeds, dried red chillies, chopped garlic and chillie powder. Now add the spinach and lentils and stir well. Cook the leaves for few minutes and add crushed red chillies and salt to taste. You can add a little lime or tamarind juice if desired and remove from the stove and enjoy with rice.

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BEET CURRY WITH CILANTRO

Ingredients

3 to 4 Beets
1/4 of a onion(sliced)
1 green chillie
1 clove chopped garlic
Salt to taste
Unroasted curry powder
2 sprig Cilantro(corriander leaves) Curry leaves
Coconut milk

Method

Wash the beet well and peel it.Then cut them into very thin slices.Now add all the above ingredients except for coconut milk and add a little water and bring it to a boil.When it's done add the coconut milk and take it out of the stove.

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DRUMSTICK (MURUNGA) CURRY

Ingredients

1 lb Drumsticks(Murunga)
Sliced Onins
1 green chillie(sliced)
1 clove garlic
Coconut milk
Turmeric powder
Salt to taste
Unroasted curry powder
2 tbsn Masoor dhal(lentils)
Curry leaves and Rampe(pander leaves)

Method

Wash the drumsticks well and cut them into 3inch pieces.Cook the lentils in a little water with turmeric powder and curry powder.When it's done add all the above ingredients and a sufficent water and cook well.When it's done add the coconut milk and remove from fire.

You can find Drumsticks(Murunga) at Indian Stores in the frozen section.

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SWEET POTATO (AMERICAN YAM) CURRY

Ingredients

1 lb Sweet potatoes(American Yam)
sliced Onions
1 green chillie(sliced)
1 clove garlic
Turmeric powder
Unroasted curry powder
Salt to taste
Curry leaves

Method

Wash and peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into cubes.Add Turmeric powder, curry powder, curry leaves, sliced onions and green chillies.Add sufficent water and bring to a boil.When it's done add coconut milk and shake it well.

The Vegetarian Movement in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is a country with 25 centuries of recorded history, with two chronicles, Dipavamsa and Mahavamsa, describing the story of civilisation in the island from the 6th century before Christ. Buddhism was brought to Sri Lanka in the 3rd century B.C. and has remained since then as the dominant religion of the country.

Like in any other culture, in Sri Lanka too reality and ideals have never been co-equal. Nevertheless, Sri Lanka has some impressive records from an animal rights' perspective. The first animal sanctuaries in Sri Lanka were established by Buddhist kings in pre-Christian times. There have been five kings of Sri Lanka who proclaimed what was called the Maghata rule which completely prohibits the killing of all animals in the kingdom. The first such king was Amanda Gamani who lived in the 1st century.

Until the advent of western colonialism, the consumption of animal food was minimal and the slaughter of cattle was regularly prohibited. Up until the early decades of the 20th century, fishing and hunting and other forms of killing animals were limited and people who resorted to these occupations had absolutely no social status.