In our future blogs we will delve into foods from a variety of countries. For me, having being given the honor to write the first food-related blog, it is appropriate that I begin with some recipes from the country of my birth. Sri Lanka. Although I have lived outside Sri Lanka for most of my life I still yearn for the flavors of Lankan cuisine. Other cuisine from mainland South Asia (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh) is similar, but also quite different. 

When I was sixteen I joined my dad, a physician on expatriate assignment in Zambia in Central Africa, where, missing the tastes of home, I began learning to cook Lankan food through trial and error. The first attempts at Lankan curries were disastrous ranging from novice mistakes like forgetting to use salt, using cow milk in curries leading to a curdled mess, and even using only chili powder and wondering why it just didn’t taste right. Oh, how I wish the internet was around then! 

It turns out Lankans used combinations of individual spices, not a generic off-the-shelf mixture of spices, when cooking. The spices could be adjusted based on what was being cooked and the specific taste profile desired. Some of you who may have tried cooking South Asian recipes with these generic curry powder mixtures should wonder no more why everything you cooked tastes the same and why you can never replicate the flavors from your favorite Indian restaurant. 

The British invented curry powder in the 18^th Century to simplify the replication of Indian cuisine in Britain. Now curry powder is used even in South Asia. 

Authenticity versus Simplicity

The first curry powders were a generic mix of spices. Over time, specific spice blends have emerged intended for use in specific dishes. While whole (unground) spices will hold their flavor well over time, they do not when ground up. The volatile essential oils that give the spices their unique taste and smell evaporate off and the vibrancy of the spice will be lost (like an open soda can). 

Recipe-specific spice mixtures also come in a powder, paste or sauce form in bottles or in sealed packets and I have had good experiences with using some of these products in terms of how well they retain flavor. If you don’t use all the paste in one sitting, store unused portions tightly closed, in a refrigerator and it will generally retain flavor for weeks to months. To prevent discoloration of pastes due to oxidation press a piece of plastic cling wrap onto the top surface of the paste to keep it from being exposed to air. Remember to remove the plastic and discard the next time you use the paste!

A typical Sri Lankan meal

Sri Lanka is a tropical island and there is a huge variety of edible vegetation so famine rarely if ever occurs. Traditionally, every part of a coconut palm was used – from building entire houses and vessels for fishing, to providing food (the meat of the coconut) and sweetening (the sap extracted from the flower) to alcohol (fermented sap). Coconut trees grow everywhere – along roadsides, in the jungles, and especially along the shoreline. Other than the coconut, other foods growing wild include Jak (Jackfruit), Murunga (Moringa), Mangoes and many others. Because of this variety of foods, a traditional Sri Lankan meal would include several dishes

• A starch base, commonly Rice (over 2000 varieties of rice are grown in Sri Lanka but the market is now dominated by a few varieties. Heirloom varieties are making a comeback). Hoppers and string hoppers (made from rice) are also popular as are unleavened wheat-based breads such as pol roti and godamba roti. Thosai (dosa/dosai) made from a Urad dhal – a lentil – are also eaten.
• A meat or fish dish – fish, including shellfish, is very popular in this island nation, followed by chicken. Beef and Pork are also eaten. Many Sri Lankans are also vegetarian.
• Several vegetable side dishes (yes, several – even if there is a meat main) are usually prepared using the abundance and variety of fruit and vegetables available in tropical Sri Lanka.
• The meal would also include several “accompaniments” such as chutneys, pickles, sambols, fried dry fish, chilies, papadam etc.

This brings me to some of the key differences between Sri Lankan and other South Asian cuisines:

• Lankans rarely prepare combination dishes with meat & vegetables. Vegetables are cooked separately.
• Vegetables also are usually prepared individually – different vegetables are usually not mixed together – hence the large number of dishes in a typical meal (see photo).
• The gravy of Lankan dishes is based on coconut milk – not cows milk.
• Lankan meat dishes use a pan-roasted spice mix. Vegetable dishes typically use unroasted spices.
• In many dishes turmeric is used sparingly.

When we entertain at home, I am the designated chef 99% of the time. When I cook Lankan food I carry on the tradition of cooking many dishes. I have tried to reduce the number of dishes but when the event happens, somehow, several different dishes magically appear.

When cooking to entertain I prepare cold dishes (if any) first, then the meat and finally the rice. Rice is difficult to reheat without changing its texture or taste and there is nothing better than some steaming hot rice to showcase the delicious curries you are serving! Most of the spices used in the recipes of this blog can be found at any larger grocery store or at a South Asian (Indian/Pakistani/Bangladeshi/Sri Lankan) grocery store. If you cannot find ingredients locally there are several online stores that will ship these to you (depending on your location). 

Here is a list of spices commonly used in Lankan cuisine:

Keep these spices handy and you will be ready for any Lankan cuisine challenge. I will continue to post recipes regularly – and not just Sri Lankan but from all over the world. The number 1 rule is – feel free to CHANGE recipes so it tastes good to you (and your guests)!

Contact us to let me know if you enjoy a particular recipe or if you make some change that results in an even tastier dish!