My dad comes from a small town in Sri Lanka, between Kegalle and Avissawella. Ruwanwella it’s called and we spend a good part of our holidays there. My uncle, Tissa Mama, is a local somebody. Tissa mama is a foodie of sorts. He has a nose for finding dingy little local joints that have…
Chicken Curry
Here’s a fact; every Sri Lankan I know has a chicken curry recipe that varies slightly. There’s usually a secret ingredient, a steadfast opinion on the necessity of tomato and the right way to use curry powder. I learnt how to make curry from my mother, so this is based very much on her chicken…
Lavariya
This is a post dedicated to my cousin Ruwanthi who specifically asked for the how-to. I don’t claim to be an expert, only that I have executed the process with some success. Some, being the operative word. Lavariya as I know it is basically a caramelised coconut wrapped in a string hopper. Great with a…
Dairy/Soy free Banana Bread
Have I told you about my lovely husband that always reminds me to buy bananas when I go shopping and then lets at least one of them rot in the fruit bowl. Well now you know. This has forced me to have a variety of banana friendly recipes to use up the soft bananas….good thing…
Dairy and Soy Free Vanilla Cupcakes
Ahh the unending joys of motherhood, I’ve been put on a fabulous new diet. Dairy and Soy free. The doctor hopes it’ll help Mister C stop spitting up so much. I’m hoping it’ll help drop those post pregnancy pounds that refuse to budge. This new diet has a multitude of challenges that come with it,…
Ginger Brulee
I read the Guardian. I know that might change your opinion of me, but it’s true. For a while now they’ve been publishing a piece called “How to cook the perfect….” and it always catches my eye. The premise is simple. They choose an iconic dish, fried chicken for example. Then they research recipes by…
Black Tea and Ginger Friands
A long time ago, in a land far far away (Sri Lanka), my great grandfather set up a tea factory in the hills of Ratnapura. It still stands there today and is run by my great-uncle. It makes stellar tea and if you’re in the market for some Single Origin estate Ceylon Tea, there’s no…
Unduwel – Panni Walalu
Growing up, we had a friend called S. She would visit us in the holidays and pester us to entertain her…apparently it was our duty. She would arrive very early in the morning and wake us up. She would then ask us to make her holidays fun…we were none too impressed. We would have to…
Dhal Wade
My parents are originally from the Sri Lankan mountain city of Kandy. We still have many relatives there and spend time on our family holidays there. Our main pot of call is Helpitiya, where my mother’s Aunty lives. There’s is a huge house, full of secret rooms and nestled in cool tropical forest. They are…
akkis kitchen 