Sri Lankan Culinary Festival
Sri Lankan Culinary Festival
Executive Chef Sunanda Kumar of Cinnamon Lodge, presented his local cuisine in a grand avatar at The Leela Mumbai
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Whatever little Indians know about Sri Lanka is either thanks to Ramayana or to some of the finest sportsmen that the country has given birth to. Famous for its teas, spices, gemstones and surfing, Sri Lanka is also known for its coconuts and deliciously sumptuous street food. To better acquaint Bombayites with its food culture and to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between India and Sri Lanka, a Sri Lankan Food Festival was held at The Leela Mumbai. Co-hosted by Consulate General of Sri Lanka, Sri Lankan Airlines and The Leela Mumbai, the 10-day food festival served culinary delights from across the country. And who better to represent this culinary legacy of Sri Lanka than Chef Sunanda Kumar.
As Executive Chef of Cinnamon Lodge Habarana, Chef Sunanda has won several accolades for his culinary skills. Moreover, he has ga ered recognition across South Asia. With a career extending over two decades, the chef has played an important part in bringing traditional Sri Lankan cuisine into the forefront.
As the diners of Bombay were settling in to feast on the traditional delicacies of Sri Lanka, Chef Sunanda revealed the nuances of the cuisine. "Sri Lankan cuisine is mostly spicy, but not pungent as most people have been led to believe. While some diners might find one component of the dish extremely strong in its flavours, they should keep in mind that the traditional Sri Lankan food is meant to be eaten by mixing all the elements of the dish together, making it a well-balanced meal. Even here at the food festival, you will find some dishes such as plain rice which can be paired with a curry or can simply be eaten with Sri Lankan pickles." Pickles, as the Chef explains further, are a speciality of Sri Lankan cuisine. Tangy, tart, sweet, spicy and sour, these pickles pack in a flavoursome punch.
The menu at the food festival had something for everyone. Patrons who wanted to play it safe ate simple rice and curry, while those with an adventurous spirit tried the local delicacies such as Kotthu Rotti, Fish Fricadales, Mango Ambula, Raw Papaya Mallum and more in savoury while desserts such as Watalappan, Welithalapa and Dodol tickled the sweet tooth. "I received an interesting request from a guest here," shares Chef Sunanda, "The guest was a huge enthusiast of Sri Lankan cuisine and loved the Kithul Treacle that we had served. He requested if he could take some back with him as it is difficult to find the fresh treacle in Bombay. I gave him some and the next day, the guest retu ed! He again ate from the festival and asked for the treacle! This went on for some days until I finally gave him my whole box of treacle!"
Treacle wasnu00b4t the only ingredient that the chef had brought with him to Bombay. Roasted kari powder along with a few spices found their way to Bombay with the Chef. "Back at Cinnamon, we cook with wooden fires and ovens to retain maximum flavour of a dish. Here however, since there is an absence of both, we tried cooking with coal to further enhance the flavours," discloses Chef Sunanda.
Fret not if you have missed the food festival, you can now find the recipes right here of some of the traditional dishes served. So cook away!
