SriLanka- The Island of Spice

Sri Lanka 

The Island of Spice

Fresh Coconut, Fresh Curry Leaves.. Dozens of Spices... All the trademark of Sri Lankan Food.

Fresh, Zesty.. Hot and Spicy.. Srilankan food is the culmination of Singhalese, Tamil and Muslim influences to provide its distinctly diverse and jam-packed flavour.

Lets look at some quintessential ingredients;

Corriander

Curry Leaves

Pandan Leaf

Cumin

Fenegreek

Cloves

Cardamon

Tumeric

These are the flavours of Sri Lanka!!!

Commonly mistaken as being the same as Indian Food, most likely due to its close geographical proximity, Sri-Lankan cuisine is uniquely distinct by its use of coconut milk and being fiery hot.

The main staple of a Sri-Lankan plate is Steamed Rice, which would have one or two meat curries as the feature of the dish. There would commonly be an assortment of four to five accompaniments to the meat curry varying from vegetables, lentils or pickles to name a few.

What are some distinctively Sri-Lankan dishes?

·       Lamprais

·       String Hoppers

·       Kirihoddi

·       Pol Sambol

·       Pittu

·       Egg Hoppers

Come on an incredible journey to liven your taste buds. Become part of Lankan news and enter the rarely explored sensation of this jewel of the Indian Ocean.

Lankan Roasted Curry Powder

What is the secret to making an good authentic Curry?

What you really need is a fantastic Curry Powder..

Lankan Roasted Curry Powder

(Mamma's Style)

Try out this simple recipe which will be the basis for any good Lankan Curry. It can also be used as mild flavouring agent for other dishes. Mamma taught me this recipe about three years ago. prior to that she would make me a batch to use until I ran out. I have since been making my own. It is really simple.

Most Sri Lankan households will have their own Dry Roasted Curry blend. They will differ in the proportions of spices to one another. This will be reflected in the flavour of their curries. Most families will keep their blends a complete secret. This is my Mother's blend that I'm sharing with you and the rest of mankind. Yes I know I'm extremly altruistically kind. Use the gift wisely.

EQUIPMENT:

Mortar & Pestle or Spice/Coffee Grinder
Fry Pan
Wooden Spoon
Air Tight Container

INGREDIENTS:

2 Cups Coriander Seeds
1/2 cup Cumin Seeds
1/3 cup Fennel Seeds
1/4 cup Black Peppercorns
8 Cloves
10 Cardamon Pods
15 Curry Leaves (1 or 2 stems)
5cm Ceylon Cinnamon Stick
5cm Pandan Leaf (Cut into small strips)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Bring the dry fry-pan to heat

2. Add the Pandan Leaves, Curry leaves and Cardamon to the pan.

[Dry heat until you notice the leaves start to look dehydrated]

3. Add Coriander Seeds, Cinnamon and Cloves.

[Continue roasting the ingredients for three minutes]

4. Place the rest of the ingredients into the fry-pan and continue stirring whilst the ingredients are roasting.

[Be careful not to burn the spices. The ingredients will darken in colour. This should take a few minutes. Roasting times would vary according to the moisture content of the spices]

5. When the spices have darkened remove from the heat and let cool.

6. Grind the spices in small batches in grinder or mortar & pestle into a fine curry powder

7. Place the roasted curry powder in an air tight container.

[Roasted curry powder will keep for about a month or two]

This is what the Roasted Curry Powder should look like.

The proportions outlined in this recipe can be halved for a smaller batch or doubled for a large batch. By all means experiment with the proportions and come up with your own curry blend.

If you have any questions or would like to share your secret blend please do. Sharing is caring.

I'll be looking forward to hearing from you.

Mumma's Dhal Curry- Sri Lankan Vegan Cuisine

Mumma's Vegan Dhal Curry

INGREDIENTS:

To make the Vegetable Stock
1 small carrot
1 celery stick
1/2 onion
Water
To make the Dhal
1 cup Red Lentils
3 cups Vegetable Stock
1/3 cup Coconut Milk
4 cloves of garlic
1 tsp Tumeric
1 tbsp Curry Powder (look at Sri Lankan Dry Roast Powder Recipe) [include link]
To make the Onion mixture
5 tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 and 1/2 Onions
2 tbsp Mustard Seeds
Two inch piece Pandan Leaf
1 stem Curry Leaves
1 Cinnamon Stick
3-8 Dry Red Chillies (added broken to spice up the dish to your liking)
Salt to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:


1. Wash lentils in water and let soak in cold water for about an hour

2. Boil water, salt , onions, carrots, potato and celery for about an hour until a vegetable stock is formed. 


[You want to have about 4 cups of this stock]

3. Add lentils  to the newly made vegetable stock with curry powder, turmeric and garlic.


[This is the base for the Dhal Curry]

4. In a fry-pan add oil on medium flame and fry dried chilli, mustard seed and the pandan leaf. Heat until fragrant

5. Add the curry leaves and onions until the onions have browned.


[Now you have completed the onion mixture. When the lentils are soft follow through with the next step]

5. Add the onion mixture to the lentils and simmer until lentils are soft.

6. Add the of coconut milk, bring to simmering point and remove from the flame.

And you have successfully completed this wonderful Dhal Curry

ENJOY AND BE MERRY

Serving Suggestions & Alterations-
* Add a little bit of fresh corriander to garnish
* Add spinach or another leafy green at Step 5
* Plain water can be used in place of the Vegetable Stock (Skip Step 2)
* Experiment with proportions of the spices- Mumma never measures when she cooks

PHOTO GALLERY

Kirri Hoddi 

Milky curry served usually with String Hoppers

 Making String Hoppers

String Hoppers are squeezed through a mould onto pre-shaped discs. The distinctive string patterns of the patti are made with rice flour.

Sri Lankan Banquet

The last banquet at Mamma's for Mothers Day. She made the String Hoppers from scratch. A feat I have not even attempted yet

Curry Leaves

Fresh Curry Leaves from my Aunty Roshan's garden. Unmistakable taste in Sri Lankan and South Indian Cooking. Sautee some Curry Leaves with onion in oil. Then you'll understand the smell that I mean. oh Yummy yumm!!!

String Hoppers ready to be served