Aasmi

A sweet, mainly famous during the Sinhala and Tamil New Year season. Decorate the top of the Asimis with thickened syrup pouring it in a zigzag design.

INGREDIENTS: [10 Portions]

• 225g Rice Flour
• 1 Cup of thick coconut milk
• 1 Cup of light coconut milk
• 1/2 tbs of Salt
• Oil for Frying
• A handful “dhoul Kurudu” leaves

For the Syrup

• 225g Sugar
• 1/4 Cup of Water
• Rose essence
• Pink coloring

METHOD:

• Pound rice and sieve through a very fine sieve.
• Add milk to flour very gradually and knead well with the hand. Then add salt.
• Squeezed cinnamon leaves in a 1 cup of light coconut milk.
• Add the leaf juice (strained) to the mixture to make the batter slimy.
• The batter should be of a thick, slimy consistency.
• Dilute with a little more coconut milk to get the consistency required for the batter.
• Have ready a deep round-bottom pan about three-fourths full of boiling oil.
• Take a spoonful of the batter and pour it through an Asmi spoon ( a large coconut shell spoon with a perforated bottom and an upright handle) into the boiling oil moving the spoon round and in all directions until a complete network is formed.
• Release the edges with an oil spoon , fold over to form a semi-circle and press the edges together.
• Turn over and fry the other side.
• Drain on paper.
• The Asmis should be put away for a day or two and then fried again to make Asim light and crisp.
• Then decorate the top of the Asimis with thickened syrup pouring it in a zigzag design.

To prepare the syrup

Put the sugar and water in a saucepan and thicken it over the fire.
Flavor with rose and color it pink with a few drops of coloring.
Pour it over the Asmis before it hardens.