Lamprais/Lump Rice - Full Authentic Recipe

 Lamprais - Full Recipe - In One Place

This is a complete feast in a parcel that your taste buds will never forget to ask for more.

The origin 

Lamprais was introduced to Sri Lanka by the Dutch - Burgher population during their rule (1658-1796) in Sri Lanka and the original Dutch name was Lomprijst, meaning, "a packet of rice". 

How to pronounce:

In Sri Lanka, everyone commonly refers to as "Lamprice" but it should be correctly pronounced as "Lampraise" 

Lamprais traditionally must consist of a delicious combination of rice, that is cooked in chicken stock, chicken dry curry, brinjals, ashplants, boiled and fried egg, cutlets and another sweet and sour condiment called "Seeni Sambol". All these are arranged around a dome of rice and wrapped with a banana leaf.   Sounds exotic right? It is indeed an exotic meal in which many glorious tastes come together to give your tastebuds a memorable experience!

The whole process of putting everything together could be a very long and tiresome task, so, I suggest you make the curries and cutlets on the previous day and store them in the fridge, heat them up and add them to the parcel on the day you are serving. You can cook the rice last and wrap everything together in no time if you are organised with previous preparations, otherwise cooking many different varieties could be very cumbersome. 

The authentic recipe is given here with all the details and instructions that are easy to follow.

So, Let's make it;

1)Make The Chicken Stock

• Add some chicken skin, pieces and bones, salt, a sliced carrot, the white part of leeks, garlic, 4 peppercorns, salt, one or two bay leaves and pour water well enough to cook the rice and bring to a boil and then simmer under a very low flame until an aromatic and flavourful stock is ready.

2)Fry The Cutlets

• Pan roast cloves, cinnamon and cardamoms 
• Grind into a fine powder
• Fry thinly chopped onions, chopped garlic, curry leaves and add the spice powder in
• Add chopped green chillies and some chilli flakes
• Sprinkle a little bit of mild curry powder and chilli powder
• Drop fish ( canned tuna, mackerel, pilchards will do) and give a good stir. Fry until everything comes together
• Then add some boiled and mashed potatoes
• Give a good mix and add a few drops of lemon juice
• Now make equal-sized balls and roll them on corn flour
• Beat egg whites and dip the cutlet balls in it and then dust them with breadcrumbs
• Deep fry in hot oil
• Keep aside until completely cooled and store them in the fridge in an air-tight container

3) Make The Chicken Curry 

• Marinate the chicken with chilli powder, turmeric powder, curry powder, black pepper, salt and vinegar
• Fry the chicken in a little oil. Set aside (You can air-fry the chicken until almost done)
• In a separate pan, heat up a little oil and  add ginger garlic paste and chopped onions
• Add a slit green chilli, curry leaves, pandan leaves, cloves and cardamom. Stir-fry everything   
• Then add chilli powder, black pepper powder and a little turmeric
• Pour a little hot water and bring everything together until a thick sauce is made
• Now add the fried chicken
• Fry well 

• Add some hot water and fry for a few minutes, cover and cook
• For extra flavour drop some coconut milk on top and toss a few strands of pandan leaves and curry leaves simmer for 3-4 minutes.   
• The chicken curry should be thick in consistency and flavourful with an appetising aroma.

4) Ash Plantain Curry

• Cut 4 green bananas into squares

• Marinate with turmeric and salt and deep fry (You can air-fry this instead of deep frying. Mix turmeric, salt and a little oil with green banana squares and air-fry for 20mins under 180C)

• Add salt, onion, curry powder, turmeric, a slit green chilli, fenugreek seeds, a little vinegar, a pinch of chilli powder,  and coconut milk to the ash-plantains, give a good mix and cook it under a slow flame 

• Finally, add some sugar and a few drops of soy sauce to bring out the flavours

5) Eggplant Juicy Curry 

Fry the eggplants

• Cut the eggplant lengthwise and marinate them with turmeric and salt. Deep fry in hot oil.  (You can also marinate them with turmeric, salt and oil and fry them in the Air-fryer which could be a healthier option)
• Add some butter in a pan and fry a handful of cashews. Keep aside

Prepare the sauce

• Add mustard powder to some vinegar and keep it for 10 minutes. Later add salt and sugar to taste. Then you need to pound ginger and garlic together and add to it.  Mix all together. Keep this sauce aside until needed

Final step

• Heat oil in a pan and fry a handful of small shallots
• Add some slit green chillies, curry leaves and pandan leaves
• Drop some chilli flakes 
• Add at least 1/2 cup of coconut milk (tinned or Maggi coconut milk powder will do if you do not have fresh coconut milk)
• When the coconut milk is starting to boil add the vinegar sauce 
• Toss the eggplants in. Stir lightly with a small spoon being careful not to squash the delicate eggplant pieces
• Toss the fried cashews on top 
• Add salt and sugar and adjust the taste  

6) Seeni Sambal - Sweet And Sour Onion Condiment

• Cut three or four large onions very finely and keep aside
• Take a small ball of  tamarind, pour a little hot water and make a thick pulp
• Now add the tamarind pulp, some salt, a spoon full of sugar, and a spoon full of chilli flakes and mix them all well with your hands
• Toss the onions into this mixture and give a good mix 
• Heat oil, add some curry leaves, a stick of cinnamon 
• Now add the onion mixture and stir-fry until the onions are soft are everything is cooked and juicy
• Check the taste and balance the taste by adding more salt and sugar if necessary to get the right balance of sweet and sour taste
• Done

7) Fry the eggs

• Boil the eggs
• Prick the eggs using a toothpick
• Now roll the eggs in a mixture of salt and turmeric powder
• Add a little oil in a pan and heat it up
• Roll the eggs in oil and fry gently 

8) Make The Rice 

• Wash Samba rice / Sona masoor rice well and soak in water for 20 minutes (A starchy rice such as Basmati rice is not suitable)
• After 20 minutes, drain all the water and keep the rice aside
• Heat some butter and oil together in a large pot
• Add the ginger garlic paste and when it turns brown, add curry leaves, turmeric, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, peppercorns, and a little salt and fry until the onions are brown in colour
• Now add the wet rice and gently fry for 5-8 mins until all the grains are well coated with oil
• Pour in the prepared chicken stock, check the salt and add more if needed.  If the stock is not enough to cook the rice, add hot water
• Now, cover and cook under medium heat until the rice is cooked through but not over-cooked and lumpy.  The rice should be loose and silky

9) Prepare The Banana Leaves

• Hold a banana leaf a little above the gas flame and drag it until all sides are covered. This will prevent the banana leaves break while folding and at the same time add a distinct aroma to the food wrapped with it.

10) Wrap The Lampraise Parcel

• On a plate place a square baking sheet
• Then place the banana leaf 
• Now place a dome of rice and then everything else around it.
• Bring all sides together and wrap the banana leaf neatly
• Then wrap it with the baking paper and keep aside at least 20mins for all the tastes to settle 
• Enjoy your feast in a parcel!