Srilankan cooking

Srilankan cuisine is lesser known so i went about doing some research and i had asked my mom to prepare something different this weekend. I got this from the Hindu newspaper. Here’s an excerpt and a couple of Srilankan recipes to try out. Look for more of Srilankan food in the near future in Indian food Kitchen main site..

MUCH advertised today as a favoured tourist destination, Sri Lanka lies on the southern tip of India. Washed by gentle waves of the Indian Ocean, it is well known for its tea, rubber, spices and, of course, coconuts. The Sri Lankan does not under estimate the gastronomic potential of the coconut, especially in local cuisine defying health norms and throwing sensible advice of “good” and “bad” cholesterol to the winds.

Never does the day dawn without the sharp crack of a coconut in local homes. The flesh of the coconut is then busily scraped and used in different forms. Coconut milk or cream is extracted in varying strengths. There is the first extract or the thick creamy milk from the scraped coconut. The second extract or thin milk is used for the actual cooking of fish, meat or vegetables. The determined souls attempt the third extract.

As garnish to the mallung or curried greens, freshly scraped coconut is used. Creamy coconut milk is just poured from a jug over main dishes such as idiappam or appam without spices. Freshly scraped coconut tossed with onions, green chillies and a squeeze of lime called sambol forms the accoutrement served with rice and bread.

Tambili or the sweet water from the spliced green or bright orange fruit quenches thirst and fortifies the Lankan soul. Tropical fruits such as pineapple, passion fruit and wood apple are combined with coconut milk to create unforgettable mocktails. Coconut toddy and arrack are local beverages consumed to celebrate the joie de vivre by the islander.

And as a befitting ode to the coconut, celebrate with a special Sri Lankan lunch. The menu given serves four persons approximately ”

Annasi curry (Pineapple curry)

Ingredients

1 medium sized ripe pineapple, skinned and diced
2 medium sized onions finely chopped
1 tsp mustard seeds dry ground
A pinch of turmeric powder
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1/2 tsp black pepper coarsely ground
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp fennel seeds roasted and powdered
A stalk of lemon grass
A sprig of curry leaves
Oil for cooking
Salt to taste

2 cups thick coconut milk (equal parts of first and second extract from half a coconut, medium sized)

Method
In a pan, fry half the onions, lemon grass and curry leaves. Add the rest of the ingredients except the fennel powder and let it simmer. Sprinkle the fennel powder when the annasi or pineapple is cooked and the curry is semi-dry.

——————-

I found this sweet recipe from another site called Pardisaya. They have a small collection of Srilankan cuisine.

Jaggery pudding from Ceylon

Ingredients

10 Eggs
2 ½ Cups thick Coconut milk
1 lb Jaggery
Pinch of Cinnamon, Nutmeg & Salt
½ tsp Cardamom

METHOD:

Beat the eggs well.
Grate the jaggery and mix with the egg batter.
Add all the other ingredients and mix well.
Pour the mix into a greased bowl.
Cover with oil paper & steam for 1 1/4 hrs.
Let it cool in the container before serving.
Sprinkle some chopped cashews for added taste and decoration.

——————————————————–