Traditional Christmas Cake of Sri-Lanka

Traditional Christmas Cake of Sri-Lanka is supposed to be the richest and the most delicious of all Christmas cakes. 

Ingredients

250 g seedless dark-raisins
350 g seedless golden raisins
250 g mixed glace fruit
250 g preserved ginger, drained
500 g (1 jar) chow chow preserves or melon and ginger jam, drained*
125 g mixed citrus peel (no pith)
250 g glazed cherries
250 g raw cashews or blanched almonds
1 cup brandy
3/4 cup butter
2 cups (granulated) sugar
12 egg yolks
6 egg whites
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 tablespoons vanilla essence
1 tablespoon almond essence
2 teaspoons rose essence
1 tablespoon honey
2 cups semolina flour (lightly roasted with a little butter)

 

2 days before :

• Chop raisins, mixed glace fruit, preserved ginger, chow chow preserves and citrus peel into small pieces.
• Cut glace cherries in halves.
• Chop nuts very finely.
• Combine fruits and nuts in a large bowl, sprinkle with 1/2 of the brandy, cover and set aside for 24 hours to allow fruit to absorb more of the brandy.

1. After 48 hours (or more), grease a 10-inch cake pan and set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. Add grated lemon rind, cardamom, nutmeg, cloves, vanilla, almond, rose essence and honey and mix well.
5. Add the semolina and mix until well combined.
6. Add the brandied chopped fruit and nuts, stirring until fruit and nuts are dispersed evenly throughout the batter.
7. In another mixing bowl, beat egg whites until stiff.
8. Gently fold the beaten egg whites throughout the cake batter.
9. Turn into prepared cake pan.
10. Bake in a 275*F (130*C) oven for 2 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours. (You may cover the cake pan with foil after 30 minutes to prevent over-browning.)
11. Cool in pan on wire rack for 15 to 20 minutes, then remove cake from pan.
12. Sprinkle with remaining brandy & allow cake to cool completely, preferably overnight.
13. Wrap cooled cake tightly in foil.
14. Drizzle 1 to 2 tablespoons brandy over the cake every week to keep it moist.
15. You can keep this cake for a year or longer in an airtight container.

Serves 24 - 30

You may cover it with almond icing if desired. 

Sri-Lankan Crab Curry

• 2 whole large Crabs, washed & cleaned
• 3 Cloves & 3 Cardamom
• one 2" Cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds
• ½ tsp Curry powder
• 2 tsp Chilli powder (or to taste)
• 1 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp Mustard powder/paste
• Vegetable oil
• 5-6 Garlic cloves, crushed
• 7-8 small red Onions, chopped
• 2 Red Chillies, chopped
• 2 Green Chillies chopped
• 7-8 Curry leaves (or a bay leaf)
• 2” Rampe leaf
• 1 Root Lemon grass, cleaned & root lightly crushed
• 1 cup Coconut milk
• Juice of 1 lime
• Salt to taste

·        

1.       Dry-roast the cloves, cardamom & cumin & crush or grind together.

2.       In a pan, heat oil and gently saute onion, garlic, lemon grass, curry leaves, red & green chillies, cumin seeds, cinnamon, cloves & cardamom

3.       Add curry powder, turmeric, chilli powder, salt & add 2 cups of water

4.       Add crabs

5.       Add more water if needed

6.       Simmer gently for 20 minutes

7.       Bring to boil

8.       Dissolve mustard in coconut milk & add to the pan

  

Sri Lankan Curry Powder

        3 Tbsp         Coriander seeds

        1 ½ Tbsp    Cumin seeds 

        2 Tbsp         Fennel seeds

        2 tsp             Fenugreek seeds 

        2 small piece of  Cinnamon

        12                 Cardamoms

        12                 Cloves

        12                 Curry leaves

        2 tsp  chili powder

Dry roast the whole spices in a heavy frying pan over medium heat 

until they turn dark brown, stirring frequently to prevent burning.

Cool, then combine with curry leaves and chili powder and grind to a powder. 

Stored in an airtight container, it will keep 3-4 months.

Milk Rice (Kiribath)

 

2 cups White Raw Rice

2 cups thick Coconut Milk

Salt to taste

Wash the rice & cook in a pan until rice is tender on low flame.

When rice is cooked, dissolve salt in the coconut milk & pour into rice, stirring.

Under very low flame keep stirring for about 5 minutes.

Switch off the cooker, close the pan with a lid and keep for about 10-15 minutes.

Put the rice onto a buttered plate and shape & flatten with a spatula.

Let cool, and when its totally cool and firm, cut into pieces.

Serve with hot onion & chili paste (Lunumiris) & Fish curry.

Serves: 2 medium eaters.