Where Does Sri Lankan Food Come From? – By Randika Jayakody & Jerome Perera Source :  Qld Sri Lankan Newsletter – Dæhæna – August 2023 The Sri Lankan diaspora is famous for its food. We often congregate around food and it is an important part of the Sri Lankan identity. So, this month we decided to briefly summarise the origins of some Lankan foods we all cherish. According to academics and chefs, the community whose culinary impact on Sri Lanka was most pronounced were the Portuguese community of Sri Lanka. Portuguese nuns immensely contributed to cooking by introducing the holy trinity of oil, onions and garlic and the “themperaadu” technique, which precedes the cooking of many dishes. Cutlets, empanadas, viticulture, the use of vinegar for cooking and preservation (Vinagre became the Sinhala word Vinaakiri). Buns, breads, baked goods such as seenakku, wiskirinja, puhul dosi, custard and cheese (still called Keju ...

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Authentic Sri Lankan food at Hela Bojun Hala – By Arundathie Abeysinghe Hela Bojun Hala (Traditional Sri Lankan Food Court), serving quintessentially delicious fresh food at subsidized prices are situated in many places in Sri Lanka. Each food is vegetarian, fresh and healthy as well as free from flavors and additives. The first outlet of Hela Bojun Hala was started in Gannoruwa in Kandy as a pilot project with the objective of promoting fresh local food as well as empowering local women. Prices of food items range from Rs 25/= upwards and a whole meal costs around Rs. 300/= (about 2.2 AUD).   Spacious with open kitchens, Hela Bojun Hala outlets are scattered throughout Sri Lanka from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya to Jaffna and Matara. Initially, the project was set up by Women’s Agriculture Extension Program of the Ministry of Agriculture and at present the project is taken up by Provincial Agriculture Departments also. ...

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Kurakkan (Eleucinecoracana) Health by Dr Harold Gunatillake Health writer Sri Lankan traditional staple food items consumed by the locals are mainly made of rice flour, wheat flour and occasionally kurakkan flour. The latter is used mainly to make pittu, roti and string hoppers (indiappams). There are doubts about the goodness of kurakkan, and as a result wheat and rice flour are more popular and palatable, used on a daily basis for items cooked mostly for breakfast and dinner Millet seed or kurakkan is most often associated as the main ingredient in bird seed mixtures in most countries.In Sri Lanka it is used especially among the rural population as a main ingredient in most preparations. Presently, in Sri Lanka one could buy kurakkan biscuits and crackers manufactured by the biscuit companies. Presently, it is grown in Anuradapura, Monoragala, Hambantota, Kegalle, Ratnapura, Nuwaraliya, Ampara, Badulla, and Jaffna districts. Most farmers favour irrigating transplanted kurakkan ...

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