Some Christmassy Foods

 

Day 39 - Sri Lankan cuisine is not greatly known off the island.  I reckon it as a mixture of South and Southeast Asian cooking.  Most of the fresh ingredients can be found in southern India.  Also, as Sri Lanka was a key segment of the spice route, it shares a lot with Malay and Indonesian cooking tastes.

Food is a huge cultural preoccupation in Sri Lanka.  A keyword search on YouTube offers one a glimpse of how food is tied to everyday life and rich agricultural offerings.  Influences from Portuguese, Dutch, and British colonization add to the flavours and textures.

For example, today was Christmas.  So Christian houses often bring special plates to their neighbours.  On Buddhist or Moslem occasions, the gifts on loaned dishes are reciprocated.  All holidays are tied to food with a rich variety of cultures that help define this island nation and its food.

Jay even found a bunch of bananas in the backyard ready for cutting although it'll take a few days until they're ready for consumption.  As soon as one of a bunch turns yellow, they must be cut.  If late in spotting them, then, birds, bats, and other creatures will come to help themselves first!