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Formerly known as Ceylon, Sri Lanka is an island situated in the
Indian Ocean just south of India.
The island is estimated to have been colonised by the Balangoda
people about 34,000 years ago. The people called the Veddas
(forest-dwellers) are believed to have inhabited Sri Lanka's
semi-evergreen dry forest called the Wanni, for at least 16,000 years.
The Sinhalese migrated to Sri Lanka probably from North India in
the 5000BC first settling along rivers. Evidence found suggests that
the cultivation of wet rice was well practised. They constructed
canals, water-storage tanks and reservoirs which made up an elaborate
irrigation system as a backup in times of drought. By 900BC and the
use of iron, advanced forms of farming and livestock breeding were
practised. Cinnamon, which is native to Sri Lanka, was in use in
Ancient Egypt in about 1,500 BC, suggesting that there were trading
links with the island.
The island's location made it a popular stop-off point for foreign
traders, especially as it produced many fine spices such as cinnamon
and cloves. Examples include Arabs who introduced the the use of
saffron and rose water, Portuguese who ruled the island in the 1500's
and who not only introduced Chillies to the island but also culinary
terms such as 'temper' which is derived from the Portuguese word,
temperado - to fry and season and the Dutch who ruled the island from
1658 to1796 who introduced recipes rich in eggs and butter such as
Breudher, a Dutch Christmas cake, plus savoury recipes such as
Frikkadels (meatballs). There are also Malay influences as can be
seen in the dish Wattalapam.
Cuisine
Sri Lankan food is little known as a speciality food abroad, being
totally overshadowed by next door neighbour India and its food. While
Sri Lanka food has a certain amount in common with South Indian food,
Sri Lankan culinary traditions are quite distinct, being a fusion of
local produce and predominately chicken, pork and fish used in
recipes and spices carried to the island over the centuries by
various visitors and settlers - Malay, Indian, Arab, Portuguese,
Dutch and more recently English. The staple dish is rice and curry,
being at its best a delicious mini banquet mixture of spices that
demonstrate Sri Lanka's status as one of the premier spice islands in
the world. Spices generally used in Sri Lankan cooking can include a
mixture of chillies, cinnamon, curry leaves, garlic, coconut milk,
pandanus leaves and sometimes a small pinch of intensely pungent sun
dried tuna called 'Maldive Fish'.
Rice is still the staple of Sri Lankan cuisine and is generally
served either boiled or steamed accompanied by a variety of curries.
Being an island as one might expect, fish and seafood feature heavily
in the everyday diet as do the wide variety of fruit and vegetables
which are cultivated on the island.
A typical Sri Lankan meal would consist of a main curry of fish,
meat or poultry, several other curries made with vegetables and /or
pulses such as lentils plus condiments such as chutneys and sambols
which are generally extremely (spicy) hot and made from various
ingredients such as coconut, onions, lime juice and chillies. All the
dishes are placed on the table at the same time and diners help
themselves to a little of everything using a dessertspoon and fork or
their fingers.
Perhaps the most distinctive nature of Sri Lankan food is the use
of Maldive fish (dried fish) which is added as a flavour enhancer to
vegetable dishes. Coconut and chilli also form an integral part of
most Sri Lankan dishes.
Common ingredients used include coconuts and coconut milk (see the
featured ingredient), chillies, onions, Maldives fish which is a
little like Shrimp Paste and curry powder mixes.
There are 3 main types of Sri Lankan curry: White, Red and Black.
White curries are, mild, based on coconut milk and very liquid. Red
curries contain a large amount of chilli powder or ground red
chillies with a few other spices. Black curries are dark in colour
which is achieved by the roasting of the spices until they are a deep
brown and are the most typical curries eaten in Sri Lanka.
Hoppers (appa) are another food native to Sri Lanka, served mainly
for breakfast or lunch and often accompanied by "lunumiris,"
a fiery hot mix of red onions and spices. Hoppers are made from a
fermented batter of rice flour, coconut milk and a dash of palm
toddy, which lends a sour flavour and fermentation ability. If toddy
is not available, yeast is often used. The batter is left to rise,
then cooked in a hemispherical wok-like pan. There are many types of
hoppers including egg hoppers, milk hoppers, and sweeter varieties
like vanduappa and paniappa.
Koola'ya is a dish made of a variety of leftover curries, mixed
together with rice and often served at temples, with chapati. Its
also served in a ball form, or even mixed in a blender. |
