University Cultural Event

I recently cooked 3 dishes for my University Cultural Event. Made some delicious chocolate muffins, a Sri Lankan chicken curry, and Tuna cutlets. The chocolate muffins came out better than I expected.

I couldnt make the curry and cutlets as spicy as I normally make it, as the majority of people at the event cant have spicy food. I dont know if its just me, but food taste so bland without spices.

Chocolate Muffin Recipe

Ingredients:
250 g butter
190 g caster sugar
4-5 eggs
250 g strong bread flour
20 g baking powder
60 ml milk
100 g chocolate chips
150 g drinking chocolate
20 squares of dark chocolate,

Method:
. In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar with a wooden spoon until white and fluffy.

2. Add in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well with each addition, and whisk together for 5 minutes.

3. Sift the flour and baking powder, add to the butter mixture and fold together until well-blended.

4. Add in the milk and the drinking chocolate and mix for 1 minute. Fold in the chocolate chips.

5. Refrigerate the mixture for 2 hours.

6. Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas 6.

7. Line muffin trays with paper cases, making 20 muffin cases in all.

8. Place a teaspoon of the muffin mixture in each case. Top each case with a square of chocolate, then add another teaspoon and a half of the muffin mixture on top.

9. Bake the muffins for 15-20 minutes until cooked through and risen. Remove and serve warm from the oven.

Sri Lankan Chicken Curry Recipe:

Ingredients:
3 lb Chicken or Chicken pieces
3-4 tbs. lemon juice
6 cloves Garlic & 1 inch Ginger root - crushed together
2 tsps Salt
1 tbs. Powdered black pepper
1 tbs. Roasted Curry powder
1/2 tbs. dry red chili powder
4 Cardamoms
2 Cloves
8 Curry leaves
4 pieces Rampe
1 inch piece Cinnamon
1 medium Onion (sliced)
3 tbs Vegetable oil
2 tbs Tomato paste or sauce
1 cup thick Coconut milk or fresh milk

Method:
Wash chicken pieces and drain water thoroughly.
Add lemon juice, crushed garlic, ginger, salt, black pepper, curry powder and red chili.
Coat the chicken pieces well with the spices and set aside for about 1/2 hour.
Heat the oil in a saucepan.
Fry curry leaves and rampe.
Add onions and fry until soft.
Add the chicken pieces and stir for sometime.
Add cinnamon, lemon grass, cardamom, cloves and stir until well mixed.
Add tomato paste (or sauce) and stir until all pieces are well coated (If the curry is too dry and tend to stick to the saucepan, add 1-2 cups water & stir).
Close with a lid and allow the chicken to cook on slow heat.
Add the thick coconut milk (or fresh milk) and bring to a boil without covering.
Taste and adjust salt.


Tuna Cutlets Recipe:

Ingredients:
2 x 170 g flaked light Tuna
1 small Onion chopped
1 green Chili chopped
1 sprig curry leaves (optional)
1 piece Rampe (Pandamus) (optional)
1 piece Cinnamon
1/2 inch Ginger root (crushed)
4 cloves Garlic (crushed)
2 tbs Vegetable oil
Salt, Pepper and Cardamom powder (optional) to taste.
4 medium Potatoes boiled, skinned and cut into pieces.

THE COATING:
Two Eggs (beaten)
Toasted bread crumbs (grounded)
Oil for deep frying

Method:
Drain the two cans of tuna.
Heat the oil in a skillet (frying pan).
Add crushed ginger and garlic, stir, add onions, green chili, curry leaves, Rampe and cinnamon.
Cook until the onions are tender light brown.
Add drained tuna, stir all together.
Allow to cook for a few minutes.
Add the drained tuna liquid.
Stir and allow to cook until the liquid is dry.
Add salt, pepper and cardamom powder.
Stir until well mixed.
Turn off heat.
Add potatoes and mix well.
Seperate the mix and shape in to small (2 inch diameter) balls or thick discs.
Coat the balls with beaten egg and then with the toasted bread crumbs.
Deep fry in hot oil until light brown.
Cutlets (made in to thick disc shapes) are great with rice & curry.