Sri Lankans make creating food a part of everything. Tropical places have access to both great fresh fruit and a variety of vegetable plants. They're an island surrounded by fish. Oh, and there are the multitude of spices! Jay's own birthday was the reason for the food pictures today.
It started with milk rice in the morning, eaten with palm sugar and ambarella chutney. There were fried snacks, a method of cooking seldom allowed in this apartment. Today's coffee/chocolate cake was sweet enough to please without any frosting. There was no room on it for the number of candles necessary for today's occasion. Finally, there was a meal with basmati rice and nine items.
In recent years, we've either been away or close to away during Jay's birthday. So, he enjoyed doing all the work to create these. It was kind of a little-bit the Asian way, where the person having the birthday brings the cake for all the others to enjoy.
