Exploring Culinary Traditions: Cooking Class in a Jaffna Kitchen, Sri Lanka

Exploring Jaffna: A Culinary Journey into Sri Lanka's Northernmost City

Nestled as Sri Lanka's most northern city, with the proximity of India just beyond the water, Jaffna offers a culinary and cultural experience deeply rooted in its predominantly Tamil population. Unsurprisingly, the local cuisine is marked by spiciness, and a common lunchtime fare involves rice paired with flavorful curries.

Despite the scars of the civil war, Jaffna is undergoing a revival. The extensive fort is undergoing restoration, the 1930s Public Library has been reconstructed, and the city is once again thriving. Beyond the urban landscape, pristine beaches and numerous Hindu temples add to the city's allure. However, my focus is on the vibrant local cuisine, and I am eager to observe how the residents prepare their traditional dishes.

Sambaru Curry (Vegetable Curry)

My culinary journey begins with the vegetarian Sambaru Curry. Neelaawathi skillfully dices beans, carrots, pumpkin, potato, and aubergine, combining them in a pot with lentils, turmeric, salt, and water. As the mixture boils, Morine extracts coconut milk from freshly blended coconut flesh. Neelaawathi then adds the coconut milk to the pot, along with sambar powder, pandan, curry leaves, and tamarind juice. The crucial "Tempering" stage follows, where mustard and fenugreek seeds, dried chilli, curry, and pandan leaves are fried and added to the curry, providing a burst of flavor.

Beef Curry

Next on the menu is Beef Curry. Neelaawathi marinates bite-sized beef pieces with turmeric and salt before toasting various spices to create her homemade curry powder. In a thick pan, she fries mustard and fenugreek seeds with ginger and garlic paste, then adds onions, pandan, and curry leaves. The curry powder is incorporated, followed by the browned beef and chopped tomatoes. Thin coconut milk is added, and the curry simmers for about 30 minutes, concluding with the addition of thick coconut milk.

Pittu

A coconut side dish known as Pittu follows, involving the challenge of splitting a coconut. Neelaawathi deftly accomplishes this, grating the coconut flesh and mixing it with rice flour, salt, and warm water. Kneading the mixture until it resembles breadcrumbs, she steams it in a special string basket, producing the dish in ten minutes.

Thosai

Thosai, the Sri Lankan equivalent of South Indian Dosa, takes center stage. Urad Dhal and rice soaked for 12 hours are ground into a smooth paste with fenugreek and poha seeds, left to ferment overnight. Morine, an expert in the art of frying, uses a special pan to create these pancakes. The batter is ladled into the hot pan, spread in a circular motion, flipped to brown the other side, and skillfully served.

Lime Pickle

The culinary journey concludes with Lime Pickle, prepared a year earlier. Boiled limes are chopped and combined with salt, chili pieces, and vinegar, allowing the flavors to develop over time.

What strikes me most is the communal aspect of cooking in Jaffna. It's a family affair, resembling a well-coordinated chef's brigade. Each member has a role, whether toasting spices, chopping and grinding coconut milk, or preparing vegetables and meat. The use of charcoal imparts a smoky flavor, and the emphasis on freshly prepared coconut milk elevates the overall culinary experience. It's an authentic and delightful adventure into the heart of Jaffna's kitchens.