Puerto Rican – Pastelón Plantain Casserole

A wonderful family recipe from my friend Iris – the “structure” is similar to lasagna or moussaka and many other layered casseroles from around the world, but the flavor is completely unique, the faint sweetness of the plantains contrasting with the richly seasoned meat filling.

Sri Lankan Favorites: Pineapple Curry

This unusual, colorful dish is one you can mix up in 10-15 minutes (depending on how fast you chop an onion). If you keep canned coconut milk and pineapple on hand, this is also an easy pantry dish, though it does taste extra special with fresh pineapple.

Christmas Feast #2: Tropical Salad

If I saw this recipe in a fru-fru cookbook or trendy cooking magazine I probably would not have tried it. I sometimes suspect recipes like these of being designed by a food editor to photograph well without much thought for the flavor combinations. But I’ve tried several unusual salads from this cookbook before and always found…

Indian Dinner – Coconut Dhal

Dhal is a staple side dish in both Indian and Sri Lankan cuisines, as simple and ubiquitous as mashed potatoes in the US. I like this Sri Lankan version because the coconut milk adds a lot of creamy richness to it and it includes several versions for people who like it spicy or mild.

Indian Dinner – Spinach Raita

Raita is a standard side dish designed to offset the spiciness of many Indian dishes. It can be made with fruit or vegetables, but the base is always yogurt. It’s like a savory version of the whipped topping & marshmallow “salads” you find in American church basement dinners – it’s creamy and light, but not…

Indian Dinner – Aubergine Mushroom Curry

One of my top favorite curries that’s got lots of rich veggies and tastes even better when made ahead – cooking the eggplant in the oven brings out a lot of flavor with little bother.

Remnants of Christmas: Split Pea Soup

One of my favorite things about holidays are the leftover carcasses. Because I love soup and nothing makes a better soup base than leftover roast meat. This recipe for split-pea soup is a family favorite that usually follows a few days after Christmas or any other time we eat a full ham.