Sri Lankan dried sprats fry in tomatoes and onions(halmasso theldala).
When you think of Sri Lankan village type rice and curry, a tempered sprat fry is a must in the menu.
A simple dried sprat fry tempered in onions and tomatoes(halmasso theldala)is truly an earthy Sri Lankan dish that reminds you how wonderful and homely a meal can be.
Grab a banana leaf, cook a pot of country red rice, followed by a dhal curry and pol sambol, some papadams.
Finally, cook this Sri Lankan recipe for tempered sprats and enjoy the simple gift of a satisfying meal at home.
Served warm, it’s just the type of meal to warm you inside out.
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Where can I find dried sprats?
Most Asian/ Indian supermarkets should have sprats. you can also find packaged, ready to cook sprats(cleaned and the head removed).
Utensils and appliances needed.
Chopping board and knife
A medium-sized pan
Medium-sized bowl
A medium-sized frying pan
Workflow to make Sri Lankan tempered sprat fry.
Clean, wash the sprats.
Let the sprats drain and dry a little.
Make the tempering of onion and tomato fry.
Add the dry sprats to fry.
Beginner tips on making tempered dry sprats.
- Have all the ingredients ready.
- Wash the dry sprats a few times.
- Once the sprats are washed leave it to drain and slightly dry(20 minutes) for better results, for this purpose you can pat dry the sprats with a kitchen towel.
Can I slightly fry the sprats before adding them to the tempering?
For this recipe, I’m not frying the sprats separately before adding them to the tempering of onions and tomatoes but you can certainly fry them.
In fact, most sprat fry you might have tried would be fried first, it’s actually a personal choice.
I will be adding a separate recipe for the use of fried sprats on a later day.
Other Sri Lankan recipes that go well with dried sprats fry.
Sri Lankan dhal curry with spinach.
Sri Lankan green mung bean sambol.
Sri Lankan brinjal moju.
Sri Lankan dried sprats tempered in tomato-onion Fry.
Please make sure to read the recipe instructions carefully to avoid mistakes.
Ingredients
Ingredients mentioned below use standard measuring cups and spoons.
2 tablespoons of oil
A sprig of curry leaves
1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
1 large Onion finely sliced
1 large Tomato chopped
2 green chillies split in the middle
1/2 teaspoon Turmeric powder
1 teaspoon of chillie powder
100g of dried sprats(head removed)
1 tablespoon of lime juice
Salt to season
Method
How to clean the sprats.
Remove the heads of the sprats and rinse them well.
Leave it to drain and then pat the sprat dry(read beginner’s notes).
How to make the tempered sprats.
Place pan over medium heat, pour in the oil, add curry leaves, ginger-garlic paste, onions, green chillies, tomatoes. temper the ingredients until onions turn golden. (3 minutes).
Add turmeric, chilli powder and combine all ingredients over reduced heat.
Add the sprats and cook for 2-3 minutes until combined well over medium- heat.
Keeping in mind that the dried sprats already contain salt, taste and season accordingly(not too much as we are adding a dash of lime at the end as well).
Sri Lankan dried sprats cooked in tomato-onion fry.
SRI LANKAN DRIED SPRATS IN TOMATOES AND ONIONS(HALMASSO THELDALA).
WHEN YOU THINK OF SRI LANKAN VILLAGE TYPE RICE AND CURRY, A TEMPERED SPRAT FRY IS A MUST IN THE MENU.
Ingredients
- Ingredients mentioned below use standard measuring cups and spoons.
- 2 tablespoons of oil
- A sprig of curry leaves
- 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
- 1 large Onion finely sliced
- 1 large Tomato chopped
- 2 green chillies split in the middle
- 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon of chillie powder
- 100g of dried sprats(head removed)
- 1 tablespoon of lime juice
- Salt to season
Instructions
How to clean the sprats.
- Remove the heads of the sprats and rinse them well.
- Leave it to drain and then pat the sprat dry(read beginner’s notes)
How to make the tempered sprats.
- Place pan over medium heat, pour in the oil, add curry leaves, ginger-garlic paste, onions, green chillies, tomatoes and temper the ingredients until onions turn golden. (3 minutes).
- Add turmeric, chilli powder and combine all ingredients over reduced heat.
- Add the sprats and cook for 2-3 minutes until combined well over medium- heat.
- Keeping in mind that the dried sprats already contain salt, taste and season accordingly(not too much as we are adding a dash of lime at the end as well).
- Once the add the chopped tomatoes and cook for another 10-12 minutes over low-medium heat.
- Taste and once you are satisfied with the seasoning, remove from fire, add the tablespoon of lime juice combine well and serve.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 111Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 215mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 2gSugar: 4gProtein: 1g
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