INSIDE STORY
Island flavours
Sri Lanka is an idyllic location for people who consider themselves to be foodies. Replete with a tropical climate, the island serves numerous local specialities across a spectrum of cuisines.
But it’s not all about sitting in a restaurant or cafe. As connoisseurs of food know, the search for that perfect dish isn’t confined to five-star hotels or popular restaurants; it extends to the streets, the huts of local village folk and sometimes the source itself.
Though Sri Lankan food has parallels with that of South India, it remains distinct. Through centuries of colonisation and the influence of foreign culinary traditions, the islanders have adapted their food culture to serve a smorgasbord of curries, tasty concoctions and a host of other mouth-watering dishes.
Stemming from the liberal use of locally grown tropical fruit, fresh seafood and a coveted range of spices, many Sri Lankan dishes can be traced back to the era of colonisation when traditional or indigenous foods were greatly influenced by foreign elements.
Today, the island’s cuisine has been shaped by many historical and cultural factors – such as foreign traders who brought new food items, not to mention their own cultures and culinary traditions, to the island.
Portuguese, Dutch and South Indian influences are evident in many of the country’s popular dishes. But even those that have foreign roots are prepared with a Sri Lankan twist to suit local tastebuds – and they’ve become signature dishes.
Ashwini Vethakan sat down with several well-known gastronomes of Sri Lankan cuisine as they discussed their kitchen rules, local favourites and how an international dish can be romanticised to give it the ‘island twist’!
First up, we spoke to internationally renowned chef, television presenter, restaurant consultant and author Peter Kuruvita who heads the kitchen at Noosa Beach House in Queensland. He is best known locally as the celebrity who put Sri Lanka’s unmistakeable flavour on the world’s culinary map.
Then there’s Michelin starred chef Rishi Naleendra, the Sri Lankan who runs Singapore’s famed restaurant Cheek by Jowl. Naleendra received his Michelin star back in 2017 and has been a trailblazer in the culinary world ever since. He frequently visits his island home, and brings with him both flair and a creative fusion of food.
Dee Williams joined the group of culinary masterminds. She is the only Sri Lankan to have contested in the 11th season of MasterChef Australia last year. Williams made a name for herself when she served the judges a pol roti dish, which won praise on international television.
And finally, we have the power duo of Flamingo House – chefs
Kumar Hewage and Lasitha Niroshan. They reign supreme in their respective culinary fields with Hewage catering mouth-watering local dishes and Niroshan serving up the best steaks in the island.