1 week ago
19
Sinhalese and Tamil traditions may differ, but the celebration of the new year in mid-April unites the two communities. It’s a major cultural moment that marks the end of the harvest season, and some key customs include everyone cleaning their home to prepare for the festivities (and to clear away bad luck!), the lighting of oil lamps and, of course, food. That can take the form of special sweets, celebratory treats such as kavum (cakes made with coconut oil), kiri-bath (milk rice), kokis (a crisp fried dough), and everyday favourites such as today’s two dishes.
Egg curry (pictured top)
This hearty vegetarian dish is a hug in a bowl, and is especially welcome on gloomy days. Serve with steamed rice or shop-bought parathas.
Prep 10 min
Cook 30 min
Serves 2-4
6 eggs
Salt and black pepper
About 250ml coconut oil, for deep-frying, plus 2-3 tbsp extra for the onions
1 tsp cumin seeds
¼ tsp dill seeds
1 sprig curry leaves, picked
2 small green chillies, finely chopped
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
3cm piece cinnamon stick
½ tsp fenugreek seeds
1 tsp chilli powder
350ml thick coconut milk
½ tsp turmeric powder
Juice of ½ lime, to finish
Coriander leaves, to garnish
Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil, carefully drop in the eggs and cook for five minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the eggs to a bowl of iced water. Once cold, peel the eggs, then prick the whites all over with a toothpick or fork. Lightly salt the eggs and put them to one side.
Put two to three tablespoons of coconut oil in a deep-sided frying pan on a medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the cumin seeds, dill seeds, curry leaves and chillies, and after a couple of minutes, when the spices start to pop, add the onion and garlic, and fry, stirring, for about 10 minutes, until the onions start to brown.
Stir in the cinnamon, fenugreek seeds and chilli powder, cook for another two or three minutes, then add the coconut milk and turmeric. Cover the pan and leave to cook gently for 15 minutes.
While the curry is cooking, put the remaining 250ml coconut oil in a medium, deep-sided saucepan and heat to about 180C/350F. Once it’s at temperature, deep-fry the eggs for a minute or two, until the whites turn a light yellow, then lift out with a slotted spoon and put on a plate or tray lined with kitchen towel to drain.
Gently drop the deep-fried eggs into the curry sauce, simmer on a low heat for three to four minutes, then season to taste. Add the lime juice for a bit of acidity, and serve garnished with a scattering of coriander leaves.
Mackerel patties
Nothing reminds me more of my grandmother than fish patties. She used to make them regularly whenever she came down to visit us in London. They resemble empañadas, and are one of my go-to snacks.
Prep 10 min
Chill 1 hr
Cook 1 hr 10 min
Makes 6
For the filling
250g potatoes
Salt and black pepper
500ml sunflower oil, plus a little extra for shallow frying
1 red onion, peeled and finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 thumb-sized piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground cloves
300g tinned mackerel, or tuna, in oil or spring water, drained
A few sprigs of fresh dill (optional)
½ lime
For the pastry
300g plain flour
½ tsp salt
100g cold unsalted butter, diced
1 egg, separated
80ml coconut milk
Wash the potatoes, then put them in a pan of salted water, bring to a boil and cook for 10-15 minutes, until cooked through. Drain, leave to cool a little, then peel and finely chop.
Heat a little oil in a medium saucepan, then fry the onion, garlic and ginger for about 10 minutes, stirring until everything turns golden. Add the turmeric, cumin, cinnamon, cloves and a teaspoon of crushed black pepper, cook, stirring, for a minute, then add the tinned fish and fresh dill, if using, and cook, still stirring, for two to three minutes more.
Stir in the chopped potatoes and two teaspoons of salt, cook for another couple of minutes, then take off the heat, squeeze in the lime juice and leave to cool.
To make the pastry, mix the flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the butter and rub into the flour with your fingertips until the mix turns to crumbs. Beat the egg yolk in a small bowl, work it into the flour mix, then incorporate the coconut milk bit by bit, kneading it in well before adding any more, until you have a smooth dough. Don’t worry if you don’t achieve the right consistency automatically; add a little extra flour or some water to firm up or loosen, as required. Wrap the dough in clingfilm and chill for an hour.
Divide the chilled dough in half and, on a floured surface, roll out each piece to roughly 3mm thick. Use a pastry cutter to cut out three 4-6cm-diameter circles from each piece of dough.
Put a tablespoon of the fish mix in the centre of each pastry circle. Beat the egg white in a small bowl, then brush this all around the edge of each pastry circle. Fold over the circle to make a half-moon shape, then press all around the edges to seal.
Put the 500ml oil in a large, deep-sided saucepan to fill it by no more than two-thirds, and heat to about 180C. Working in batches, carefully drop in the patties and deep-fry for two to four minutes, turning occasionally, until they turn crisp and golden. Lift out with a slotted spoon and put on a plate or tray lined with kitchen towel to drain while you fry the remaining patties. Serve warm with chilli sauce or tomato ketchup.
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Dom Fernando is chef/patron of Paradise in London
