Food and Recipes

(50 minutes, serves 8) This accompaniment offers a little extra heat and onion-y zing to a plate of rice and curry. 4 medium leeks 1/4 cup oil 1/2 rounded tsp turmeric 1 1/2 rounded tsp chili powder 1 rounded tsp salt 1. Rinse dirt off outside of leeks. Discard any tough or withered leaves, but […]

(1 hr 15 min., serves 4) 1 lb. beets, peeled and cubed into bite-size pieces 2-3 T vegetable oil 1 t. salt 1 t. pepper 1 t. coriander seed 1/2 t. cumin seed 1/2 t. black mustard seed 2 T coconut milk 3-5 minced green chilies 1-2 T lime juice 1. Preheat oven to 350.

(10 minutes, serves 8) This is meant to be an accompaniment—make a batch (it keeps for weeks in the fridge) and then put a teaspoon or two on your plate with your rice/bread and curries. In Sri Lanka, they would just use straight up chili powder, instead of a mix of chili powder and paprika,

(1 hour, serves 8) The Sri Lankan version of caramelized onions is sweet, spicy, and tangy. It’s important to cook the onions slowly—all the liquid in the onion must evaporate if you want the sambol to keep well. Made properly, this dish can keep for several weeks in the fridge, so you can enjoy a

If I had to pick the perfect Sri Lankan meal, this would be it. There’s nothing like breaking off a crisp piece of hopper, dipping it into broken egg, and scooping up some curry and a bit of seeni sambol. Delectable. These rice flour pancakes have a unique shape; fermented batter is swirled in a

(2 hours, serves 8) This is very similar to a traditional British beef stew, but the Sri Lankan version adds vinegar and peppercorns for a distinctly different flavor. I love to chew on the peppercorns for a bit of sharp bite, and will sometimes add even more peppercorns to the pot. 3 lbs beef chuck,

(45 minutes, serves 6) You may remember that I’m on something of a kick to convince the kids to eat beans, as part of an attempt to get us to eat healthier and also less carnivorously.  (I don’t know that we’re likely to ever go all-vegetarian, given how much we like meat and how weak

(30 minutes, serves 6) I had a busy work day yesterday, so it was six o’clock before I had a chance to look at the calendar and remind myself what the evening plans were — only to be reminded that I’d planned to go to a refugee-supporting potluck, which started at six  o’clock! We were

hair, clothes, and kitchen redolent with roasted spices cooking deep into the night with children and husband asleep this much unchanged, untranslated I stand over the pan, stirring low and slow, singing to amuse myself — haste would destroy the spell of memory, consanguinity coriander cumin fennel fenugreek in order of decreasing amount cinnamon cloves

(1 hour, serves 6) Continuing in the project of accustoming my children to Sri Lankan food, I made chicken curry last night, which is one of the classic dishes that you will find at many local restaurants.  I reduced the chili powder from my standard two tablespoons to just one, and that was the only