Aasmi (ආස්මි)

Aasmi is a traditional Sri Lankan deep-fried sweet snack, which is served on Aluth Avurudda/Puthandu (the Sinhalese/Tamil New Years), weddings and birthdays.

It is made with a combination rice flour and coconut milk, which is mixed with juice extracted from davul kurundu leaves (cinnamon leaves) and then deep fried in coconut oil. Okra juice is often used as a substitute for kurundu. It is then rested for a few days before deep fried again and topped with sugar syrup mixed with food colouring.

Ingredients:

• 500 Grm Rice Flour
• 0.5 Cup Coconut Milk
• 3 - 4Kurundu Leaves
• Salt, as per taste
• Oil, to deep dry
• Topping
• 50 Grm Sugar
• 20 Ml Water
• 1 - 2 Drops Food Colouring

Method:

• Sieve rice flour through a very fine sieve.
• Make a stiff dough by mixing with coconut milk. Dough must be fairly stiff, add salt to it.
• Grind the Daul Kurundu leaves, extract the juice. Add this to the coconut milk flour mixture so that a slimy consistency is obtained.
• Dilute with a little more coconut milk to get the consistency required for the batter.
• Dip Fingers arched into this Batter and with the fingers pour the Batter into the heated oil.
• Fold into two and set aside for a few days. Fry Again to make the Aasmi light and crispy.
• Pour very thick coloured sugar syrup over the Aasmi to form a design.