A heap of snow-like grated coconut, the greens of curry leaves, and the crimson dried chillies — this kitchen palette mirrors a commonality and fragrances from the past. A past interspersed with war, a longing for homeland,a feeling of belongingness and familiarity.
For Lakshmi S, a mental health professional at BALM, Kovalam, who has spent two decades in the island country of Sri Lanka, the bonds of shared culture with Tamil Nadu reminds her of the remnants of food memories. W hile she had the best of two cuisines — Tamil and Sinhalese — she observed striking similarities in the cooking styles. She notes, “There is shared affinity through rice and curry, an abundant use of coconut, curry leaves and more. Rice as the staple grain is transformed into puttu or pittu, idiyappam or idiappa, and appam or appa across cultures. The choice of curry powders used accentuates the region.”
One among many shared bonds between Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka is the new year. Every year, April 14 is observed as Puthandu and Aluth Avuudda respectively. In Lakshmi’s words, “It is the time when the sun transitions from Meena Rashiya (Pisces) to Mesha Rashiya (Aries) moving into a new season and time for renewing hope.”
Be it any occassion, it is food that brings people together at the table. “The tradition of shared celebrations, festivals, and eating together as rituals is reported to promote wellness among communities and maintain interconnectedness. To bonding through food and bon appetite!” emphasises Lakshmi. Here are some recipes that reflect the connect between the two cultures.
Stir fried vallarai keerai or gotukola (pennywort)
Commonly available greens in Tamil Nadu also considered a memory and cognition booster
Ingredients
A small bunch of vallarai cleaned and very finely shredded
Small onions (chopped finely): 5-6
Green chillies sliced thin (add more for a zing): 2
Lime (juiced): 1
Grated coconut: 1/ 4 cup
Salt and pepper: to taste
Method
Blend all the ingredients well with your fingers, and lastly, add the coconut. Serve with hot rice.
Parippu or Dal curry
When ordinary dal gets extraordinary with a coconut milk makeover
Ingredients
Masoor dal (washed): cups
Onions (medium-sized, sliced): 2
Green chillies slit: 2 -3
Turmeric powder
Curry powder: 1 tsp
A sprig of curry leaves
A roll of cinnamon (an inch)
Mustard seeds: 1 tsp
Coconut oil: 1 tbsp
Thick coconut milk extract: 1 cup
Thin coconut milk extract: ½ cup
Coconut oil
Method
In a deep pan, cook dal with turmeric, onions, chillies, curry powder, cinnamon, salt to taste in thin coconut milk extract. When the dal is soft, add the creamy thick coconut milk and cook. In oil, splutter mustard seeds, dry red chillies and garnish the parippu. Serve with hot rice or sliced sourdough bread (crusty).
Sambol (or sambal)
Always a hit especially with the lime juice enhancement
Ingredients
Half a coconut: freshly scraped
Small onions finely chopped (use shallots for a bite): 2
Red chilli powder: 1 tsp
Pepper powder: 1 tsp
Lime
Salt: to taste
Method
Blend all the ingredients well with your fingers. Add coconut and squeeze in lime at the end and blend well. Serve with buttery crusty bread, idiyappam, or hot rice.
Bonchi (green beans)
A cute moniker for ordinary green beans makes a tasty side dish
Ingredients
Green beans (sliced slant): 200 g
Onions (medium sized, thinly sliced): 2
Green chillies slit: 2
Garlic cloves and finely chopped ginger: 2-3
Turmeric: 1 tsp
Curry powder: 1 tsp
Red chilli powder to taste
Thick coconut milk extract: ½ cup
Sugar: ½ tsp
Curry leaves
Salt: to taste
Coconut oil
Method
Fry the onions, garlic, ginger, green chillies, and curry leaves on high flame. To it, add turmeric, sugar, chilli powder, curry powder, beans, and salt as per taste. When the beans are almost cooked, keeping it crunchy, add coconut milk and cook till it’s dry. Serve bonchi on the side with hot rice.
Jackfruit curry (or palaakkai or polos)
An unusual dish and texture from a raw fruit
Ingredients
Raw/young green jackfruit (remove skin, cut into chunky cubes): 200 g
Onion (large aka Bombay onion, chopped finely): 1
Green chillies (finely chopped): 1-2
A roll of Sri Lankan cinnamon
Fenugreek seeds: ½ tsp
Turmeric: 1 tsp
Thick coconut milk: half a cup
Salt and pepper: to taste
Curry powder
Tamarind water (a lime-sized ball): half a cup
Curry leaves: a sprig
Pandan leaves (rampey)
Coconut oil
Method
Gently cook the jackfruit in tamarind water. Don’t overcook. In coconut oil, splutter onions, chillies, cinnamon, curry and pandan leaves. Add the jackfruit, fenugreek seeds, turmeric, curry powder (Lankan curry powder or Jaffna curry powder) , and salt and pepper as per taste. Finally, pour in the coconut milk extract and simmer till the gravy is almost dry. Serve the curry with hot rice.
Note: There are many variations to the curry powders and the measurement can be adjusted too.
Lankan curry powder (Thuna paha)
Dry roast 1 cup of dried chillies, ½ tbsp peppercorn, 2 tbsp coriander seeds, 1 tbsp cumin seeds, and an inch of cinnamon, and dried curry leaves. Add a tsp turmeric and dry grind. Store in an airtight jar for use.
Jaffna curry powder
Dry-roast 1 cup red chillies, 2 tbsp coriander, 1 tbsp cumin, 1tbsp fennel and ½ tbsp fenugreek seeds until deep brown. Grind into a fine powder. Store in an airtight jar for use.
Soddhi or Hoddha
Can’t go wrong with this winner vegan cream
Ingredients
Potatoes (chopped into chunks): 2
Small onions sliced (sambar or pearl onions): 3-4
Fenugreek seeds: 1 tsp
Green chillies slit: 2-3
Turmeric powder: 1 tsp
A roll of cinnamon (one inch)
Thick coconut milk: 1 cup
Thin coconut milk: 1 cup
Curry leaves
Lime (juice): 1
Salt: to taste
(A Jaffna touch: Use coconut oil to temper mustard seeds, some sliced onions, curry leaves, chopped garlic and green chillies.)
Method
In a pan, add onions, potatoes, fenugreek seeds, chillies, turmeric, cinnamon, curry leaves and simmer in the thin extract of coconut milk with salt to taste. When the potatoes are soft, add the thick milk and simmer. Finally, switch off the stove, garnish with a squeeze of lime. Serve with idiyappam or puttu.