A Feast of Serendipity - Episode 1

A Feast of Serendipity - Episode 1, by http://talallahouse.com Episode 2, here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UIButu63RU Centuries ago, trade ships from every corner of the world started to set their sails for the small island nation of Sri Lanka. The Dutch, the English, the Portuguese and more -- all of them crossed the Indian Ocean in search for the same simple pleasure: a great tasting meal. A few hundred years later, and Sri Lanka still remains a vital point in the global food trade, boasting the richest diversity of native crops and spices throughout all of southern Asia. In A Feast of Serendipity Episode 1, we discover, one meal at a time, just what it is that makes Sri Lankan cuisine so unique and unforgettable. Meet the true living legend of the Sri Lankan kitchen, Dr. Publis Silva from the illustrious Mt. Lavinia Hotel, and see how he makes Fish Ambul Thiyal, a dish unique to the island’s southern coast. It's a slightly sour fish curry, mixed by hand and cooked inside a clay pot. We visit the Dutch Burgher Union and have their signature dish, the Lamprais, prepared with samba rice cooked in stock, eggplant, malay prawn paste and a beef cutlet. It is a savory delight, wrapped inside a banana leaf. Hear the rhythm and that sound of a cook as he dices up the Kottu Roti in Galle Fort. Kottu Rotti is a popular street food in Sri Lankan, made from chopped rotti (lavash bread) that comes together with beef, fish, chicken and lamb and a mixture of veggies and eggs. Finally we visit Upali’s, a fantastic restaurant in Colombo located a few blocks away from the White House and the National Museum. We try their Jaffna Fish Head Curry. Made with pandan leaves, curry leaves, garlic, ginger and chillies over a hot pan, then blend with a bit of cocunut milk to create a rich, aromatic paste,. Sautee a few handfuls of cinnamon sticks, then pour in the paste, and last but not least, add the fish head. In all our travels around Sri Lanka, we didn't encounter a single ingredient that was pre-packaged or loaded with preservatives. Coming from the West, with our fluorescent-lit supermarket chains where aisles and aisles of mass-produced items sit on shelves for weeks at a time, it doesn’t take long to taste the difference between “Made With Natural Flavors,” and just "Plain nature". Join us for episode two of "A Feast of Serendipity", as we continue to explore the treasures of Sri Lankan cuisine with a visit to the Horathapola Estate, The Ministry of Crab and much more. About Sri Lankan food Sri Lankan curries and dishes date back thousands of years with a greater diversity than any other food in the Asian region. This is due to the influence of recipes and spices brought to the island by Indians, Arabs, Malays, Portuguese, Dutch and English. It was the spices that drove Western merchants across the oceans and made Sri Lanka the famous center for the spice trade Even today Sri Lanka is a major exporter of cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg, black pepper and turmeric. It’s these spices, roasted or freshly ground, combined with always fresh crops, fruit, vegetables and greens that gives Sri Lankan food it’s character. Your mouth will beg to remember each bite: the slightly toasted note from the curry leaves, the vanilla-like pandan, and the ultra creamy coconut milk and the cinnamon, because after all, you are at its home. Sri Lankan food is ideal for vegetarians as well as for seafood lovers. With its coastline and relatively small size, seafood and fish are day-fresh and abundant. Every morning out-rigger canoes are offloading their catch of fish in the beaches around the island. It doesn’t get more fresh than that. Prawns, Crab, Tuna, Mullets, Snappers, Shark, Groupers or Mahi Mahi and always fresh. Going to Sri Lanka? Where to stay? Bring your family for a reunion or your friends for an unforgettable stay in Sri Lanka. Go to Talalla House http://talallahouse.com, an exclusive guesthouse right on Sri Lanka’s most beautiful beach. Fully staffed, with pool and seven bedrooms.