I have been trying out different muffins over the last few months and I was in the mood of trying out some experimental muffins. I wanted to create some muffins which had a strong leaning towards a Sri Lankan dish. While thinking about using different local non-wheat flours, inspiration struck. I do very much like the delicacy – mothaham or kolukkattai, that my mother makes during special festivals like the ongoing Navarathri festival. I decided to try out the muffin version of this steamed dish and it turned out a cross between a muffin and a crumble. I am sharing it at both my brother’s birthday today as well as bringing some over to Fiesta Friday tomorrow.
The music selection for today focuses on some lovely Persian music. The first group featured here is the Chemirani Zarb Trio, a classical percussion group. I first heard their music when they visited Sri Lanka to perform at the WOMAD concert 2005. The clip I share here is one of their performances at another WOMAD concert.
While searching for Chemirani Trio clips on youTube, I came across a few other Persian groups that I liked. The second clip is a music video by the folk group Zâr Ensemble, formerly known as the Ensemble Shanbehzadeh.
The last clip is a beautiful one by classical singer Homayoun Shajarian and instrumentalist and composer, Tahmoures Pournazeri.
Hope you enjoyed the lovely music as much as I did! As usual, please do share which clip you liked more.
Mothaha Muffin Crumble
Ingredients:
- Roasted red rice flour – 1/2 cup
- All-purpose flour – 1/2 cup
- Baking powder – 1 tsp
- Salt, pinch
- Green gram, de-skinned – 1/2 cup, boiled
- Jaggery – 1/4 cup, chopped
- Coconut – 1/4 cup, freshly scraped
- Cardamom – 1/4 tsp
- Margarine – 120g, melted
- Oil, as required
Method:
- Melt the margarine and let it cool slightly.
- Mix the freshly scraped coconut, green gram, jaggery and cardamom in a bowl.
- Add the coconut and gram mix to the melted margarine. Stir to mix the contents a little.
- Sift the rice flour and all purpose flour together. Add the baking powder and salt and mix.
- Add the flour mix to the wet ingredient mix. If the resulting mix is too dry, just add a little oil until it is sufficiently moist.
- Bake the muffins for about 25 – 30 mins at 180C.
- Serve warm with a hot beverage.
A Taste of Sri Lankan cuisine 
What a great idea with the muffin crumble!
Thank you, Sarah 🙂 Though I really did not set out to make a muffin crumble. I had been hoping for a decent muffin and my experiment resulted in a tasty muffin crumble 😉
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This sounds like an intriguing and very delicious muffin! With the cardamom, coconut & jaggery, it sure sounds wonderful to me! Thanks for bringing it to FF Ahila 🙂
Thank you, Naina! 🙂
Great example of re-branding 😉 They DO look delicious!
🙂 I agree and thank you!
Happy Fiesta Friday, Ahila! I so enjoy your posts! The muffins look and sound so delightful…and I love how you’re always trying something new…taking recipes and changing them up. You are awesome. ❤ Thanks so much for sharing.. LOVE this. As far as my favorite music clip… I enjoyed the Ya Mama…but I loved the last clip:Homayoun Shajarian and instrumentalist and composer, Tahmoures Pournazeri. While I don't understand the words, the classical comfort of it all comes out loud and clear…and I loved watching the faces of the people… their eyes closed, half smiles… and you can watch the calm settling over them. Just beautiful. Thank you so much for sharing. ❤
Thank you very much for your comments, Prudy! You are most welcome and I truly appreciate your kind words! While I did like all three music clips, my favourite is also the third one. I do not understand the words either but from the first time I heard it, I feel very much moved by the music and Shajarian’s voice! I am delighted that you loved it too. Happy Fiesta Friday!
Mmm…coconut jaggery and cardamom , my favorite combination.
Sounds delicious!
Thank you, Sandhya 🙂 Have a lovely week!
Ooh I am very intrigued by these, they look really yummy! I love all the different ingredients you use!
Thank you, Michelle! 🙂 I enjoyed the experiment. Happy Fiesta!
There are a lot of ingredients I am not familiar with but we have a couple of Indian grocery stores in my area and I will certainly look these up. In am fascinated with your recipe 🙂
I am sure you will find the ingredients in the Indian grocery store. Jaggery is a form of palm sugar so if you can get that, it is great, but if not, brown sugar can be used.
Thanks – I have never used roasted red rice flour or green gram either 🙂