Home remedy for Cholestrol control

This is a home made recepie that is known to positively contribute to help reducing Cholestrol and comes highly recommended from family members - 

Ingredients - one cup each of, 

1) Ginger (fist full of)

2) Garlic 

3) Lemon

4) Apple cider vinegar 

5) Pure bees honey ( Manuka honey is known to be very good)

Method of preparation - 

Blend together the following, 

about a fist full of garlic cloves with half a cup of water. ( add as needed to make it in to one cup).

Slice ginger to about a fist full and blend to make one cup with water as needed.

One cup of lemon juice

One cup of Apple cider vinegar 

After blending, add them in to a saucepan and boil to three cups. 

Take it off the stove, let it cool for a bit.

Then add the cup of bees honey. You can store it in a honey jar. 

It is recommended you have one tablespoon of this every morning, to reduce your Cholestrol levels.

Good luck!

Ella - Sri Lanka

For a quick get away from Colombo, Ella is the ideal location. It is a good place to relax and enjoy yourself on a flexible, low budget.

You can hike up to Ella Rock, picnic on top of Little Adams Peak, visit Rawana Falls (cave and temple nearby). You can enjoy the stunning views to take in the glorious sunrise and cool misty temperature and clean fresh air!

There are a number of ways to travel to Ella, a rather popular destination for tourists. It has contributed to a lot of on going construction, especially for the locals who are happy to host visitors in the newly developed sections of their homes, as small boutique hotels. You can enjoy home made Sri Lankan food or places like Rawana Falls Inn offer typical Chinese Sri Lankan food with deviled fish or chicken curry, which tastes delicious! 

If you're more in to the established hotels, there are a number of places as well, so if you browse the popular travel sites you can easily discover places that range from 3500 LKR a night to 20,000+ LKR.

Travel Options 

  

The train starting from Fort, Colombo to Ella offers a variety of options, including air conditioned compartments if you opt for the privately run boxes, either Expo Rail or Rajadhani, both available online.  Although these private rail carriages are more expensive (2250 LKR as opposed to the 500 LKR on the observation train) your breakfast, tea, lunch  and evening tea is included. Also, it means more comfortable seats and less hassle and people. And of course, for that price you get really clean and top notch toilet facilities, which certainly should not be expected in the normal compartments. 

Of course, if you are looking for the authentic Sri Lankan train travel experience, second class tickets are highly recommended, much much cheaper and newly renovated so still quite comfortable. It is really whatever you prefer. Keep in mind though, the  time it rakes may be about nine hours, but the views make it absolutely worth your while. 

Bus

An intercity non stop express bus takes only 5 hours. You can find these starting from the Pettah, central bus stand.

Private rental 

You could also rent a vehicle through any of the reputed companies that offer these services and even get a driver, or if you're really adventurous even tuktuk the whole way, although this is not recommended, merely something locals who own three wheelers actually do!

Either way, once you are in Ella, there are plenty of things to do. You can take a bus down to Bandarawela, have tea and yummy snacks (especially the butter cake) from the Mlesna Tea Center. Take a bus to Nuwaraeliya, train to Badulla or just relax in Ella, and check out the many local food places. Or just sit down and read and enjoy the view!

Here are a few more pictures from my trip - 

Mlesna Tea Center - Bandarawela, Sri Lanka

Stopped by the 98 Acres Resort on the way back from Little Adams Peak for an Iced Tea and Papaya Juice in Ella

The mountain to the right is little Adams Peak.

Wadey on the train to Nanu Oya from Bandarawela came inside this paper bag - 

The Sun Rise at 6.15am in Ella, worth a visit.

Enjoy!

How to make Pol Roti

For 3 people ( dinner or breakfast )

Ingredients:-

1.  2 cups of grated coconut
2.  2 1/2 cups of flour - wheat or atta flour 
3. 1 cup of water
4. 1 tea spoon of salt      

   

















Method  :

       

1. Add salt to the coconut. 
2. Mix gradually flour adding water time to time.
3. Seperate them in to flour balls .
4. Add some butter if needed.
5. Flatten the balls in to the shape of a rotti using a flat plate or Banana leaf.
6. Put it into a rotti thatchchiya or flat pan with some butter or oil
7. Cook until both sides turn in to a light brown color 
8. Serve hot rotti to the table with lunumiris or fish curry.  

Additional ingredients - 

You can add 1 carrot ( sliced), 1 big onion and curry leaves to make it taste even better. Some people even add an egg in to the mixture as well. If you are adding these items add exra 1/2 cup of flour to the main mixture.)

Healthy dinners

It's important to have dinner earlier and avoid fatty food if possible at night. Steamed vegetables are a good idea. 

How to make Polos Curry (Green Jack Fruit)

This is a delicious curry that is a popular dish among Sri Lankans.

Cooking time 20 minutes

You will need -

Ingredients: -

1) Polos - 1 (Green Jack Fruit)
2) Coconut milk 2 1/2 cups
3) Chopped together - (really depends on the quantity of green jack fruit/ polos)

• Red onions
• Garlic 
• Green Chillie - 
• Cloves and Cardamom - 2 each
• Karapincha
• Kurundu pothu            

4) Spice you will need -

• Chillie Powder 1 table spoon
• Roasted curry powder 01 tab. spoon
• Tamarind  01 tea spoon 
• Turmaric powder 01 tea spoon
• Dill seeds (Uluhal) 1/2 tea spoon
• Aba powder 01 tea spoon
• salt
• Rampe ( if available)

Method:

1. Cut the polos and clean it. 
2. Then wash it properly and cut into pieces and put it in to the water bowl to clean.
3.  Then wash and remove polos pieces from the water.
4.  Add all chopped ingredients and salt
5.  Next add all spices and mix together
6.  Then add the coconut milk and mix well.

Then the polos is ready to be cooked.

     7.  Put it into the pressure cooker. Cook it for 20 minutes after it begins to steam.
     8.  Mix the cooked curry a few times and serve with rice, string hoppers or bread.

Enjoy!

How to make Pala Pittu

This is very simple. For 2 people,


You will need : (preparation time: 20 minutes)

Ingredients -

1. Scraped Coconuts 2 cups
2. Mukunuvenna  1 cup ( cut to small pieces)
3. Rice flour 2 1/2 Cups
4. Salt 1 table spoon
5. Water 1 cup

Mukunuwenna cut 

Scraped coconut- 2 cups

White Rice Flour (you can even use red rice flour) 

 Method of preparation:

1) Mix the coconut and Mukunuvenna first.
2) Then add salt to taste. 
3) Gradually add flour and water unil the mixture feels slightly sticky to your fingers. 

Before adding water - 

4) Then put it into the pittu bambuwa (if you have one, or just steam without) and steam for ten minutes. 

Just taken out from the steamer 

Serving suggestion - with fish curry and lunu miris. Yum!!

Basically a lot of curry or Coconut milk is the best way to go with any kind of pittu, really.

Enjoy!