From ancient times other cultures have been in contact with Sri Lanka to obtain the spices that grow there. The best cinnamon, cloves and other spices are indigenous to Sri Lanka. People arrived to trade in spices and also left some of their culinary practices as well. Sri Lankan cooking has evolved by combining culinary practices of many of these cultures. The most noticeable impacts have been the Portuguese, Dutch, Moor and Malay influences. In this small booklet the most popular dishes have been described. Some notes on substituting ingredients, cooking methods and addresses of where to purchase ingredients are given below. Sri Lanka being a tropical country has to beware of food spoiling fast. Hence most foods are cooked in liquids which is a fast method of ensuring that all ingredients are cooked thoroughly. No dish described here takes more than 30 minutes to prepare, with average times ranging from 15-20 minutes.
Curry Powder Sri Lankans use two different curry powders. One is referred to as plain curry powder and very similar to the Indian yellow curry powder obtainable from a Oriental or Indian grocery store. The other curry powder is referred to as black (black-dark brown in color) or roasted curry powder and is used for meats. The yellow curry powder can be used as the base to make the black curry powder. This method is given in the beginning of the booklet. Coconut Milk Coconut milk ( the milk obtained from squeezing the meat of the coconut) is a central to Sri Lankan cooking. However as milk is made every day, this process of obtaining the milk is quite tedious. Nestle have been manufacturing powdered coconut milk in Sri Lanka for over a decade and as such has made it much easier to cook Sri Lankan style. Dairy milk can be substituted at times. However occasions where lime or lemon juice is used there is a good possibility of dairy milk curdling. Roasted Curry Powder Start with 100 gms raw yellow curry powder. Add about a 1 tablespoon fennel seed, 1 tablespoon garlic powder , 2 pieces lemon grass , 2 cloves, 3 cardamoms , 2 pieces cinnamon and 1 tablespoon mustard seed and roast in a frying pan at low heat for about 3 minutes or until dark brown in color. Then remove and grind to a powder. Stores & Prices Vijaya Video & Grocery, 1682 Victory Boulevard, Staten Island, NY 10314 Tel: 718-720-7538 Lanka Indian Grocery Stores, 95-10, 37th Avenue Jackson Heights, NY 11372 Prices of items can be obtained my mail from the stores. The stores concerned will mail the goods if paid in advance. They will charge UPS rates which works out to be about $2.50. If cinnamon is purchased ask for the Sri Lankan variety which is light brown/beige and very brittle. They may try to give the dark brown hard variety which not aromatic to the unwary. Prices for some key items are given below. Nestle Milk Powder (350 gms) 3.99 Roasted Curry Powder (250 gms) 3.99 Raw Curry Powder (100 gms) 1.79 SriLankan Rolls Stuffing (note you can use any stuffing of your choice, even Stove Top) 1/2 lb boneless chicken (could substitute 12 oz can of Jack Mackerel) 1 lb potatoes 1/2 lb onion 2 tblspns red pepper 4 tblspns roasted curry powder 1/4 cup oil to taste salt Pastry ( maybe any other pancake mix could be used) 1/2 lb flour 2 cups milk (coconut or dairy) 1 egg to taste salt Breading and Deep Frying 3 cups oil 2 eggs 1 can bread crumbs First make the stuffing. Boil the potatoes and peel of jackets. Cut chicken into small pieces. Dice onions. Add the oil to a pan at medium heat. Add the onions, chicken, and potatoes in that order leaving about half a minute between each and leave for 4 minute. Add the roasted curry powder, red pepper powder and salt and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from stove and place where it is easily accessible. Now for the pancakes. Mix the flour, milk and eggs using a mixer. Heat a non stick pan which has been wiped with paper towel soaked in butter or oil. Pour in batter to barely cover the bottom of the pan. Heat at low heat for a minute. Remove the pancake. Place on a plate and place stuffing on top. Tuck in the sides of the pancake to make parallel edges. Roll the pancake to make a roll. Continue making the pancakes and the rolls from them. Do not allow the pancakes to cool or stand before adding the stuffing as this makes the pancake less malleable. Finally dip each roll into beaten egg and coat all round. Then coat with bread crumbs and deep fry until medium brown color. Egg plant curry Ingredients 1 (approx 1lb) Egg plant 1oz oil 1oz milk (Coconut or Cows) 2 tsps Curry powder 1 tsps Red pepper powder to taste salt pinch sugar 2 tsps vinegar (or lime) One onion Wash Egg plant and cut into small pieces. Add oil to frying pan, and heat to boiling point. Add egg plant and fry until a light brown color (golden color). Allow to drain on paper towel to remove excess oil. Add the fried Egg plant, milk, curry powder, red pepper, salt, sugar, and vinegar to a pot and cook for 3 minutes. Chicken Curry Ingredients 1lb Chicken 2-3 tblsps Roasted (black) curry powder 2 tsps Hot pepper powder 2 oz milk (Coconut or Cows) 2 tsps Vinegar (or lime to taste Salt 2 cloves Garlic 1 Onion Cinnamon Nutmeg 2 tblsps Oil Cut the chicken into small pieces and wash well. Dice onions. Cut the garlic into small pieces. Add the chicken, spices, vinegar and salt and mix well. Allow to marinate for some time (optional). Place on very low fire and heat for some time. After about 10 minutes the heat may be increased to a slow heat. Cook for 20 minutes. 5 minutes before taking down add the milk. Spicy Potatoes Ingredients 1lb potatoes 1 onion 2 tsps Hot pepper powder 2 tblsps Oil 1 clove (tsp) Garlic (powder) 1 tsp salt 1 tsp sugar 1 tsp mustard 2 small green peppers Boil or bake potatoes. Peel of skin and cut into cubes. Slice onions and green pepper. To a large pan add the oil and heat. Add onions and fry for a minute. Then add hot pepper powder, garlic, salt, sugar and mustard and stir in for about 2 minutes. Finally add potatoes and green pepper mix in and cook for 3 minutes you can eat. Cucumber salad (to accompany curries) 1 cucumber 1 onion 2 small green peppers 1 tomato 1 tsps Black pepper powder to taste salt pinch sugar 1 tsp lemon (or lime) juice Slice cucumber, onions, green pepper and tomato. Put into a plastic bag and add lemon juice, salt, sugar and black pepper powder. Yellow Fish curry (not spicy) 1Lb King fish (or Salmon or Tuna or Shark or Scallops ) 2 cups coconut milk 3 cups water 1 onion 2tablsp mustard 1tspn turmeric 1 tsp garlic to taste salt 1 tblspn lime juice Wash the fish and cut steaks into cubes. Add water, onions, salt garlic, mustard and fish cook for 15 minutes. Add coconut milk allow to stand for 1 minute. Finally add the lime juice. Fish Curry (Hot & Spicy) 1lb Tuna (or Shark, Red Mullet) 4 tablspn Red pepper powder 2 tblspoons unroasted curry powder 1tablspn black pepper 4 cups water 2 tablspns vinegar to taste Salt 1 clove garlic Wash fish and cut into cubes. Add vinegar and salt and knead into the fish. Then mix in red pepper powder, curry powder, black pepper and garlic and cook for 20 minutes. Spinach with Lentils 1lb Fresh Spinach (or Frozen chopped 12 oz package) 1/2 cup Orange lentils 1/2 cup coconut milk 2 tblspns mustard 2 tblspns unroasted curry powder 1 tblsspoon turmeric powder to taste salt 1 onion 1 clove garlic 1 green pepper pinch cinnamon (optional) pinch lemon grass (optional) 1 cup water Clean spinach and cut into small pieces. Dice garlic clove, onion and green pepper Wash lentils and mix with spinach. Add all spices, onion, garlic, green pepper, cinnamon and lemon grass with lentils and spinach and boil for 10 minutes at medium heat. Finally add salt and coconut milk and cooking for 2 minutes on low heat. Spinach with Coconut 12 oz Frozen Chopped Spinach 1-2 ozs Desiccated Coconut 1 Onion 1 tablspn Lime Juice 2 tblspns oil 1 tblspn Red Pepper Powder (optional) 1-2 oz Small Dried Shrimp (available at Oriental Grocery Store)(optional) Thaw spinach and squeeze out excess water. Dice onion. Dice shrimp if fresh shrimp is used. Heat oil in pan at medium heat. Add shrimp and onions and fry for 1-2 minutes. Add spinach and mix well. Immediately add lime juice, salt and red pepper. Stir in pan for a 2 minutes at medium heat. Mix in desiccated coconut and heat for 2 minutes. Beet Salad 1Can Sliced Beets 2 Tomatoes 1 Onion 2 Green peppers 1 tblsspn black pepper powder to taste salt 1 tblspn lime juice Slice onions and green pepper and tomatoes Take salad dish. Add beet, tomatoes, onions and sliced green peppers. Add black pepper salt and lime juice and mix well. Rearrange the tomatoes, green pepper and beets for visual effect. Okra 1 lb packet Frozen Okra 4-5 tblsspns oil 2 tbspns mustard 1tblspns unroasted curry powder 1 tblspns turmeric 1 onion 1 green pepper pinch cinnamon to taste salt 1tblsspn sugar 1 tblspn lime Dice onions green pepper. Thaw okra and dry with paper towels. Add oil to a pan on medium heat. Fry the okra until golden brown. Then add mustard, turmeric, curry powder, onion, green pepper, cinnamon, salt and sugar and cook for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add lime juice. Green beans 1/2 lb frozen french beans 2 tblspns oil 2 tblspns curry powder 1 tblspns mustard 1 tspn turmeric powder 1 onion 1 clove garlic to taste salt pinch cinnamon Thaw beans. Dice onions and clove of garlic. Add the beans to an pan containing oil at low heat. Fry the beans at medium to low heat at for 5 minutes. Add curry powder, mustard, turmeric, onion, salt and cinnamon, mix well and cook for 3 minutes at low heat. Potato Curry 1 lb potatoes 1cup milk (Dairy or Coconut) 2 tblspns mustard 2 tblspns unroasted curry powder 1 tspns turmeric powder 1 onion 1 green pepper to taste salt pinch lemon grass Boil potatoes and remove off skin. Cut potatoes into cubes. Dice onions and green pepper. Add potato cubes, mustard, curry powder, turmeric, salt and milk and bring to boil. Then add oil to a different pan at medium heat. Temper onions and green pepper for a minute. Add the contents of the first pot and bring to boil again. Spicy Onions 1lb onions 1/2 cup oil 4 tspspns red pepper powder 4 tspns Small Dried Shrimp (optional) 3 tspns vinegar 2 tspns sugar to taste salt 1 clove garlic 1 green pepper pinch cinnamon (optional) 1 piece lemon grass (optional) Slice onions. Dice green pepper and clove of garlic. Add onions to oil in a pan at medium heat. Allow onions to fry until light brown in color. Then add the red pepper, diced green pepper, garlic, cinnamon, lemon grass and stir in well at medium heat for 3 minutes. Finally add vinegar, sugar and cinnamon and leave at low heat for 2 minutes. Green Banana curry 2 bananas (the cookable variety) 1/4 cup oil 1/4 cup milk (coconut or dairy) 2 tblspns unroasted curry powder 1/2 tblspn mustard 1 tspn turmeric 1 onion to taste salt 1 tspn sugar 1 tblspn lime juice (or vinegar) Peel skin of banana using a knife. Cut into thin slices. Fry sliced banana in oil until a light brown color. Once banana have fried remove and place on paper towels to remove any excess oil. Add milk, curry powder, mustard, turmeric, onion, salt, sugar and vinegar into a pot and bring to boil at low heat. Then add the fried banana and cook for 2 minutes at low heat. Beef Curry 1lb Beef ( any particular cut is fine) 1 onion 2 tomatoes 4 tblspns roasted curry powder 3 tblspns red pepper powder 1tspn black pepper 3 tspns lime juice (or vinegar) to taste salt 1 clove garlic pinch cinnamon 1 piece lemon grass (optional) pinch cardamom powder (optional) 3 cloves (optional) 1 cup coconut milk (optional) Wash beef and cut into cubes small cubes preferably 1/4 inch cubes. Dice clove of garlic. Grind or crush cloves into pieces. Add all the ingredients and the beef and bring to boil on low heat and leave for 15-20 minutes. Finally add the coconut milk and boil for 3 minutes. A dry spicy meat can be obtained, if all the gravy is allowed to evaporate. This best done in an flat open pan. Noodles (Sri Lankan Style) 1pack Egg Noodles 1/4 lb lb grated carrots 1/4 lb French Cut Beans 1/4 lb Diced cabbage 2 eggs 1 onion 2 tomatoes 1/4 lb butter (or margarine) to taste salt Thaw the beans and remove any excess water using a paper towel Add the noodles to boiling water and leave for 2 minutes. Take out and allow excess water to drain. Add a little butter and fry the eggs. Stir while frying them to break into small pieces. Remove the egg and place in a dish to be used later. Add butter to a large pan at medium heat. Add the onions first and fry for 1 minute. Then add all the vegetables and fry for 3 minutes. Add salt. Mix in the noodles and the fried egg. Watalappan Ingredients 2 cups Thick Coconut Milk 1/2 lb Brown Sugar 4 Eggs Pinch Cardamoms (Optional) 3 Cloves (Optional) Raisins, Cashew, Beat the eggs in a mixer. Add the coconut milk, brown sugar cardamoms and cloves to the beaten eggs mix well. Add the mixture into a pot and steam for 20 minutes. Add raisins. Altrenatively the mixture can be added into multiple small aluminum bakimg foils and then steamed. The time required for steaming is about 5-10 minutes for this method Fried Rice (Sri Lankan style) Ingredients 2 cups Rice (Parboiled) 100 g Cashew 50 g Raisin 50 g Green Peas 250 g Shrimp 2 onions (diced) 2 oz Butter or margarine 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1/2 tsp. turmeric (or preferably Spanish saffron) 2 cloves 2 pieces cinnamon 1 piece lemongrass to taste salt Cooking the Rice Add the butter to the saucepan and heat for a minute at low heat. Add the rice and water. A easy way of measuring the right amount of water would be to add the rice, stick in the index finger on surface of rice and fill water upto the 2nd joint of the index finger (a little less is also fine). Add salt and turmeric and bring to boil (if not in rice cooker). Then turn the heat to low cover and leave for 15-20 minutes. The rice should be ready by then. The other stuff (to be done while rice is cooking) Add oil to a large pan and heat. Fry the shrimps until brown (well done). Remove the shrimp. Add the cashew, raisins, green peas, onion with the cloves cinnamon and lemon grass and fry for about 5 minutes or until onions are a brown color. Remove from fire and wait for rice. Finally when the rice is ready add the rice, shrimp and the rest and mix well and maybe heat for about 3-5 minutes. The flavor is enhanced if the mixed rice is kept for about 6 hours and then reheated (microwave) prior to serving.