PINEAPPLE CUPCAKES

Ingredients - for the cupcakes :
225g unsalted butter (softened)
225g caster sugar
225g self-raising flour
1.5 tsp baking powder
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla essence
175g crushed pineapple

for the icing :

200g cream cheese (softened)
175g icing sugar
sieved
1 tblsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla essence
50g chopped cashew nuts

Method -

- Preheat the oven to 175 degrees Celsius

- Place 18 paper baking cases in muffin tins.

- Combine all cupcake ingredients, except the pineapple, in a large bowl and beat with an electric whisk for about 2-3 minutes.

- Stir in the pineapple.

- Spoon batter into the cupcake cases and bake for 20 minutes.

- Remove from oven and leave to cool.

- To make the icing, slowly beat the cream cheese and icing sugar in a large bowl until creamy and soft.

- Add lemon juice and vanilla and beat briskly until well combined.

- Spread the icing onto the cooled cupcakes and garnish with the cashew nuts.

Christmas Cake

100 g - Chow Chow
50 g - Ginger Preserve
40 g - Strawberry Jam
03 Nos. Eggs
75 g - Cashew nuts
100 g - Sultanas
50 g - Raisins
50 g - Sugar
50 g - Semolina (Rulang)
50 g - Butter
100 g - Pumpkin Preserve
50 g - Cherries
50 g - Candied Peel
1/2 tsp. - Mixed Spices
50 ml. - Brandy or Cherry Brandy
01 tsp. each - Rose, Almond & Vanilla

Chop all ingredients into small pieces. Mix with half of the Essences and Spices. Place in an airtight bottle and keep for approx. 7 to 10 days.

Sieve Semolina (Rulang) and heat slightly. Mix with Butter.

Beat 02 Whites of Eggs stiff and place aside. Beat Yolks of Eggs, Sugar and Butter / Semolina until bubbles appear.

Add bottled dry ingredients and add to this mixture. Add whites of Eggs.
Bake for 2-3 hours in a moderate oven.

CURRIED POTATO SALAD

04 SERVINGS

600 gm boiled potatoes cut into dice
70 ml plain yogurt
01 tbsp roasted curry powder
25 gm chopped onion
01 tsp lemon juice
100 gm riped tomato deseeded and cut in to dice
01 tbsp mustard cream
few mint leaves shreded
salt and pepper to taste

1. Combine all the ingredients in a salad mixing bowl.
2. Toss all the ingredients and mix well.
3. Check the seasoning. Leave in a refrigerator until chilled.
4. Place on a bed of lettuce and serve.

SERVE AS AN STARTER OR ACCOMPANIMENT TO A MAIN DISH

Bringal and Chillie Pickle

1. 4 medium sized bringals
2. 25 large green chillies
3. 1/2 oz dry chillies
4. 3/4 oz country mustard
5. 1/2 oz corriander seed
6. 1/2 stem sera
7. small spring karapincha
8. 3/4 bot. vinegar
9. 2 ozs maldiv fish powdered
10. 1/4 oz suduru
11. 1/8 oz maduru
12. 1/4 oz garlic
13. 1/8 oz green ginger
14. 2" rampe
15. 2" piece cinnamon
16. salt
17. coconut oil

Method
Cut bringal slices lengthwise-Rub in saffron and salt and fry in oil.Also fry the green chillies- grind coriander, white and sweet cummin together. The garlic and ginger together.All ingredients must be ground with vinegar. Mix ingredients with remainder of vinegar except chillies and bringals and set on fire for a few minutes till the ingredients are boiled. Then add fried briangals and chillies.

CHICKEN AND PINEAPPLE CURRY

SERVES 04
INGREDIENTS...
25 gm ghee or butter
500 gm chicken cut as for curry
70 gm sliced onion
01 tsp lime juice
01 tsp chopped ginger
01 tsp chopped garlic
02 tbsp unroasted curry powder
01 tsp chillie powder
150 ml coconut water
100 ml natural or plain yogurt
75 ml thick coconut milk
150 gm semi riped pineapple cubed
01 tbsp fresh coriander leaves chopped
salt to taste

METHOD...

1. Marinate the chicken with curry powder/chillie powder/lime juice/yougurt and set a side for about 30 minutes.
2. Heat the fat in a saucepan to medium heat, add the onion fry until onions are light brown.Mix in ginger and garlic cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Add the marinated chicken and cook for about 5 minutes until chicken is lightly coloured.
4. Pour the coconut water and bring to the boil.Simmer for 15-20 minutes.
5. Stir in coconut milk and pineapple,cook for further 5 minutes.Finish off by adding coriander leaves and salt to taste. Serve hot

ITALIAN SEAFOOD

Ingredients....
500g Prawns
8 Oysters In Shell
125g Scallops
60g Butter
2 Cloves Garlic
1/2 Cup Dry White Wine
300ml Carton Cream
1/4 Cup Water
1 Tablespoon Cornflower
1 Teaspoon Lemon Juice
Salt Papper
1 Table Spoon Chooped Parsley
3 Shallots

Method....
Shell and devein prawns, chop into large pieces. Clean scallops and separate .cut scallops in half .melt butter in pan,add crused garlic and cook 1 minute. Add wine and cream and bring to boil. boil rapidly 3- 4 minutes. Combine water and arrowroot. pour into cream mixtures. Stir until mixture boils. Add lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Add seafood to sauce and cook 2 minutes, stir in parsley and chopped shallots. Garnish with the oysters in their shells...

TANDOOR CHIKEN NIBBLES

Ingredients:

7 chiken thigh fillets(770g)
1/2 cup (125ml) yogurt
1/2 cup (135g)tandoori paste
2 green onion

yogurt sauce
1/2 cup (125g)yogurt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Method:

Cut each fillet into 6 pieces. Combine chicken with yogurt and paste in medium bowl. Cover. Refrigerate 3 hours or overnight. Remove green section from onions. Cut into 2cm lengths. Make fine cuts close together. Halfway down each 2cm length. Tiny chop with section of onions reserve for sauce. Cook un drained chicken. In batches on heated oiled grill plate (or giller barbecue) until browned all over and cooked through. Serve chicken pieces on toothpicks with onion curls. Serve with yogurt sauce. Yogurt sauce combine reserved chopped green onion with yogurt and cumin in small bowl