Godamba Roti

Sorry guys, I’ve kind of neglected my blog for a while – but for good reason! I’ve been busy this summer, traveling (visited Taiwan and Vietnam, as well as Toronto and Quebec — which I must add, had amazing food), and also had been busy working and taking on more hours – I found out I’ll be going to Madrid next month for a conference, so much preparation will be needed. As well, I had to complete some new applications for programs. May aim for a PhD or MD. We’ll see what happens! 

Sri Lankan Pasties

I love small hand held appetizers/pastries. Growing up, this particular pastry was made for special occasions, or really when my mom really felt like it.

Sri Lankan Spiced Custard

I’ll admit, growing up I did not like this dessert compared to the (then) superior caramel pudding (which is a Sri Lankan upside-down version of a caramel flan). But now, I find that it is too sweet, and this spiced custard is where it’s at. And hello? Cardamom and nutmeg – some of my favourite spices!

Sri Lankan Banis (Sweet buns)

The French have croissants, the Filipinos have pandesal. Sri Lankans have banis (bah-niss). It’s a slightly sweet, and super soft bun often eaten at breakfast time. I remember my travels to Sri Lanka – there would always be fresh banis from nearby bakeries ready for breakfast. There are different varieties, and they’re all equally good! Except for the ones with raisins… I only like raisins in oatmeal cookies, and Sri Lankan rice.

Sri Lankan Love Cake

Merry Christmas!! I hope you guys are enjoying the holiday season with lots of food and desserts and presents and more. I apologize for the lack of updates lately – it’s been hectic! Honestly, Christmas came around so quickly, I am not sure where the year went. If you’re still looking for recipes for tonight’s dinner, why not try making some cranberry sauce, or celeriac & parsnip puree (a feature on tonight’s dinner). 

Sri Lankan Coconut Sambol

A couple months ago, I posted about a Sri Lankan onion sambol recipe. If you recall, a sambol is a typical condiment made with spices and various ingredients. This time, I have a recipe for a very common one: coconut sambol or pol sambol. This one is made from the flesh of a coconut. Growing up, this was one of my favourite kinds of sambol. It’s one that’s eaten with everything, from rice, as a condiment with boiled root veggies (like potatoes, or yams), roti, bread, or most commonly with a steamed noodle dish made of rice flour (called string hoppers — don’t ask me why it’s called that). 

Pennywort Congee (Kola Kenda)

You might be asking yourself what the heck pennywort is. It probably also sounds ridiculous on your head.  For those who aren’t into botany, pennywort is a low-growing plant with conical-shaped leaves that’s found in swampy areas. The edible kind is scientifically known as Centella asiatica, and is found around Asia. In Sri Lanka, we call it gotu kola, which literally translated means conical-shaped leaf! It’s a bit of a fibrous leaf, similar in texture to kale.

Cashew Curry

(Apologies again for no photo!)

Does cooking cashews in curry form sound strange to you? Believe me when I say that it is not strange. This is a popular curry in Sri Lanka, and is particularly great for vegetarians and vegans alike. This is probably one of my favourite curries to eat (if not THE favourite), and it is rich and flavourful. This isn’t made all the time, and I would only remember my mom serving this on special occasions. Now that I’ve started learning to cook Sri Lankan cuisine, I think I can try to make this more often 🙂

Green Bean Curry

It’s another one of my Sri Lankan curry recipes for you, this time using green beans! I always loved the green bean curry that my mom would make growing up. It wouldn’t be soggy limp beans soaked up in curry. It would be slightly crisp beans, in a flavourful coconut milk broth. It’s a great way of cooking beans, rather than the traditional boiling or roasting, or with a bit of garlic. This curry is slightly different in that there isn’t a whole lot of broth. If you certainly like your curries to have broth, you’re more than welcome to add more milk, however, I think you may just enjoy this the way it is!

Sri Lankan Onion Sambol

I’m sure you must be thinking, “What the heck is a sambol?”. Well, friends, it’s basically a condiment typically made of chillies and other spices, with whatever secondary ingredients you like (garlic, onion, or lime is common). It originates from the term sambal from Indonesia, so sambols are commonly made in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka. You must’ve heard of sambal oelek, the chilli paste. In other words, they are spicy.