Dutch Burgher rice parcel baked in banana leaf (Lamprais)

1. Wash and drain the rice and fry in the ghee with the cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, pandan and curry leaves for 2 minutes. Pour in the hot water, add salt and cook covered over low heat for 15 minutes.

2. Cut the chicken into pieces. Fry the onion and garlic in the oil, add the curry powder and chicken and fry for 5 minutes, then pour in the coconut milk and cook covered for 35 minutes until thick. Take the meat off the bone.

3. Knead the mince with the finely grated onion, pepper, egg and salt, shape into 18 small balls and fry in the oil on all sides for 6-8 minutes until cooked through. Hard-boil the eggs for 9 minutes and halve them.

4. Cut the aubergine into batons and fry in the oil for 8 minutes until soft, then add the shrimp paste and sugar and caramelise for 2 minutes (this is the typical sweet-salty "blachan"-flavoured side).

5. Pass the banana leaves quickly over a flame to make them pliable. Put a portion of rice in the centre of each, surround with chicken curry, 3 frikkadels, aubergine and half an egg, then fold into a parcel and secure with a toothpick or kitchen string.

6. Bake the parcels in the oven at 180 °C for 20-25 minutes so the rice takes on the aroma of the banana leaf. Open at the table.

Tip: Lamprais is the Sunday feast of Sri Lanka's Dutch-descended Burgher community; the name comes from the Dutch "lomprijst" (packed rice). Without banana leaves you can wrap them in foil, but the characteristic aroma will be missing.