Karavila Sambola (Bitter Gourd Sambol)

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups bitter gourd pieces - deep fried
1 medium tomato - cut into small pieces
1 medium onion – sliced
2 – 3 tablespoons Maldive fish - optional
3 – 4 green chilies - optional (I couldn´t fine it :-(
4 – 5 tablespoons lime juice OR ½ lime
1 teaspoon black pepper powder
salt to taste

DIRECTIONS:
In a medium size bowl place all the ingredients except tomatoes.
Mix it well till everything cooperates with each of the ingredient.
Now add tomatoes and give a quick mix.
Now taste for salt and decorate with anything you like. (I used some more tomatoes)

SERVING:
You can have bitter gourd sambol with any kind of rice specially.

NOTE:
1. I deep fried the dry bitter gourd pieces. But if you can find fresh bitter gourd, cut it into circles (with the seeds) and wash it with salty water. Drain the water, add some salt & turmeric (optional) mix well, and deep fry it till you get nice gold brown.
2. If you like you can add (or decorate with) salad leaves also.

ENJOY!!!

Ala Thel Dala (Fried / Tempered Potatos)

This is a every famous dish in Sri Lanka in both occasions and day to day meals. If you are a vegetarian prepare this dish without Maldive fish, I´m sure you´ll love it. One of my family´s favorite menu is, yellow rice, parippu (dhal) curry, chicken curry with ala thel dala (tempered potatoes). Try this meal with yourself, hope you also like it very much just like us :-). Good luck with the recipe.





INGREDIENTS:
3 boiled potatoes – cut into chunks
1 onion – sliced
3 – 4 garlic cloves - sliced
4 – 5 teaspoons Maldive fish – optional
1 ½ teaspoons mustard seeds
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 teaspoons chili pieces
½ teaspoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon turmeric
4 – 5 tablespoons oil
1x1.5cm cinnamon piece
5 – 6 curry leaves
salt to taste

DIRECTIONS:
In a medium bowl, mix all the ingredients (onion, garlic,Maldive fish, lime juice, chili pieces, chili powder, turmeric & salt) except the potatoes and oil. Heat a pan in medium heat & when it´s hot add the oil. When oil is ready add mustard seeds and let it pop up (nearly 2 – 4 seconds), then add cinnamon and curry leaves and let it fry for 1 – 2 minutes. then add the onion mixture & mix it well with oil. Keep it on heat for 5 minutes. After that mix it again and keep it again for another 5 minutes.
When the onion mixture is nice brown & also you can smell a nice smell, that´s the time you have to add potatoes into onion mixture. Mix onions and potatoes well but don´t break potatoes into small pieces. Keep it on heat nearly 2 – 3 minutes. Taste for salt.

SERVING:
Mainly goes with every kind of rice. you can have it with bread & roti too.(My favorite :-) )

NOTE:
1.If you don´t have Maldive fish, you can use dried prawns also. Break it to small pieces.
2.If you want you can add lime juice at the end, no problem you can do it that way also.

ENJOY!!!