Large gatherings and epic dinners are on hold right now. So you will probably find yourself preparing holiday meals for a smaller crowd this year. Christmas celebrations will be different this time, but they can still feel festive. Culinary expert Anoma Wijethunga of the popular ‘Anoma’s Kitchen’ Youtube videos is here to help you rethink your menu planning so you can create a memorable celebration that’s just the right size.
Unlike a couple of years ago, hosts and attendees need to consider how to balance festivities and holiday cheers with quite the opposite force: Covid-19. For the cooks of the family, the impact is really felt at the heart of the meal: menu planning.
Christmassy feeling
“Planning is an aspect that we often overlook. However, if this can be done according to a budget there is no reason why we cannot host a simple but delicious and memorable festive feast,” Anoma said.
Though she comes from a Buddhist background, Anoma notes that her family too loves to get the Christmassy feeling into their home on December 25. Anoma says that this is the case with most families, irrespective of religion, in Sri Lanka. It is often the housewife’s task to host simplified and intimate festive meals for family members and loved ones.
“One needs to make creative and smart choices while keeping one’s budget in mind when choosing what to include in the lineup. Though many believe that delicacies are costly, you can prepare mouth-watering dishes at home from a sum which suits your pocket,” she said.
People tend to spend a lot of bucks and invest a lot of energy on food and cooking during this season. Anoma has the answer to both these issues. She advises to plan menus early and spend money accordingly.
“One needs to be mindful of the money one spends and be willing to change any habits if needed to increase savings. Keep track of the number of guests, the verities you plan to serve and the quantities. Pre-preparations will take off the stress of preparing a variety of dishes. You can clean, season and leave fish and meat items to be marinated in the fridge. Prepare the different flavouring and seasoning agents for these dishes in advance at home,” she instructed.
Homemade meals
It is easy to click a button and get a full course meal or biryani sawan ordered to your doorstep. Many take-outs and dine-ins and delivery services tempt us to do just that. Many people tend to order even their Breudher from stores.
“Ordering for seven to eight people is very costly. We can save a lot of money by preparing homemade items. Everything will fall into place if we plan early. Give each meal a creative twist. You can serve a Breakfast Board on Christmas morning. Include a variety of food like roti, pittu and kiribath. Take a palm frond basket and arrange all the items on top of a banana leaf. This will be similar to a Cheese Board we prepare to serve a variety of cheese to guests. You can prepare some of the items like the string hoppers, roti and pittu in advance and keep them in the refrigerator. Steam them a short while before you are preparing to serve the Breakfast Board. Likewise, make some mini fish or chicken buns and put them in the freezer. You can marinate chicken and put it in a pressure cooker to be prepared quickly. Prepare a katta sambol and keep. Then all you have to prepare from scratch that morning will be the pol sambol and kiri hodi. You can whip up some katta sambol and cheese toast too. They are delicious if you serve them while they are slightly warm,” Anoma said.
Immunity boosting food
Given the pandemic, immunity boosting food should be brought to the fore. The Health Ministry has also named December 2021 as the National Nutrition month. Anoma notes that people often overlook the nutrition provided by fruits and vegetables found locally, and resort to imports that lack such nutrition. She advises to insert fruits like avocado, nelli, sapathilla, star fruit, and naminam into the menu.
“Keep the health concept in mind when preparing food. We are used to serving items like fried rice or yellow rice with brinjal moju. You can prepare a biryani at home by preparing the condiments in advance. Then you only need to add it to the rice when you put it on the stove. Use boiled eggs and tomato slices to decorate the dish. You can pair this with a few other dishes like a salad with lettuce, a chicken curry, cashew curry and a mint sambol.”
People who are prone to health conditions like diabetes are vulnerable to the coronavirus. Anoma says that it is best to prepare puddings by adding less sugar.
Homemade food is cooked with love. We add the best ingredients without any added preservatives. Anoma notes that we should gradually adopt healthy eating habits into our daily routine and abandon eating unhealthy food.
“Christmas is a family occasion. Therefore, do not burden the housewife with all the cooking. Get the help of your family members and allocate tasks for them. Then you will be able to enjoy the true essence of cooking with love,” she added.
Eggnog
Ingredients
4 Fresh egg yolks
50-65g Sugar
3 ½ Cups Fresh milk
1 cup Fresh Cream ( Whipping Cream)
2 tsp Vanilla
4 Egg whites
Pinch of salt
Grated Nutmeg
4 tbs Rum or Bourbon Whisky
Method
• In a bowl, beat the egg yolks and sugar until they become pale yellow in colour. Keep them aside.
• Combine the Fresh milk and fresh cream into a heavy bottom pan.
• In a medium low heat, cook the milk until steaming hot, but do not let it boil. Turn off the heat.
• Temper the eggs.
(How to Temper eggs: Pour 3 -4 Spoons of hot milk one at a time into the egg yolk mixture, whisking vigorously until mixed well. Later, pour the yolk milk mixture into the hot milk, turning on the heat to cook until the milk is thick)
• Lastly, add the alcohol which you prefer, and chill before serving.
NOTE:
• The Traditional Eggnog recipe uses the whipped raw egg whites with soft peaks to fold into the custard mixture and mix well.This makes the eggnog light and fluffy.
• But due to Salmonella risks, some people avoid using raw egg whites.
• Therefore, you still can make eggnog without using egg whites.
• But if you prefer to add egg white, you can reheat the combined mixture until it reaches 77C and then chill.
• Note that Eggnog is usually served chilled. But you can serve this warm or in Room temperature if preferred.
Meat Loaf
Ingredients
400g Minced Beef or Chicken
1 Capsicum, chopped into small squares
½ large onion, finely chopped
6” Celery, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 slices of stale bread
1 Egg
2 tbs Worcestershire sauce
3 boiled eggs
Sausage meat or bacon ( Optional )
1 tsp chilli powder ( Optional )
Salt & Pepper to taste
2 tbs Tomato sauce to apply on top
Loaf tin size 7.5” X 3.5”
Method
• In a large bowl, combine the minced meat and bacon or sausage meat (if using).
• Add salt, pepper (and chilli powder if preferred). Mix well.
• Then add the Onion, capsicum, celery and garlic and proceed to combine.
• Crumb the stale bread into small pieces. Add the beaten egg and bread into the meat mixture.
• Later, add the Worcestershire sauce. Mix well.
• Apply some Butter on all sides of the Loaf tin.
• Put the half of the meat mixture to the tin, and place the boiled eggs in the middle.
• After adding the remaining meat on top of the eggs, lightly press with a spoon and shape it like a loaf.
• Apply the tomato sauce on the top in order to get a nice color when baked.
• Bake in 175C for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Homemade Ranch Dressing
3/4 cup Curd or unsweetened yoghurt
Finely cut onion, green chillies
1 tbs mustard cream
Lime juice
Salt & Pepper
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp chopped parsley
Mix all these together until creamy .Mix using a whisk which brings the best result.
Method
• First, make the Ranch dressing.
• Take a large plate, and arrange the Lettuce leaves around the plate as shown in the picture.
• Then keep the cucumbers, eggs and rolled ham on the salad leaves around the plate, and decorate it with parsley and the star and bow shaped red bell peppers.
• Serve the Ranch dressing in a separate bowl next to the Salad.
Passion fruit and Mint Cooler
Ingredients
Passion fruit
Mint Leaves
Sugar
Carbonated water (soda) or Lime flavoured Carbonated drink
Lime or Lemon juice
Ice Cubes
Tall glasses to be served
Method
• Wash passion fruit thoroughly. Cut and scoop the flesh into the blender, adding a little water before blending until the flesh is pureed into juice.
• Strain the juice.
• Take the glasses and put in some mint leaves, lime juice and sugar (if you are using lime flavoured carbonated drink, then do not add sugar).
• Crush the mint leaves with a spoon or wooden pestle, which releases the mint flavour.
• Put some ice cubes and ½ Tbs of Passion Fruit juice into each glass, and fill with Carbonated water or lime flavoured carbonated drink. Mix until well combined.
• Garnish with a sprig of mint.
Salad Wreath
Ingredients
Salad leaves washed and drained (Choose several shades of leaves )
4 Boiled eggs cut into 4 lengthwise
3 Green cucumbers cut thin slices
5 pieces of Chicken roll / Ham or Bacon cut into sone inch strips and rolled
3 sprigs of parsley
Red bell pepper – cut into Star and Bow shapes