KOLAMBA PRESENT ISLAND SUNDAYS

Paying tribute to the melting point of influences that Sri Lanka’s capital city is renowned for, Kolamba owners Aushi and Eroshan Meewella are launching ‘Island Sundays’, starting from Sunday 1st March.

Traditionally the day that Sri Lankan families and friends come together, the series will see a regional dish celebrated every Sunday for a month, with a String Hopper Biriyani up first. This dish is celebrated by the Tamil and Ceylon Moor communities of Sri Lanka and has become a popular alternate to the traditional rice biriyani. Kolamba will be serving a recipe from Aushi’s best friends’ mums, Mutaz Nanji, of coconut-based chicken curry layered with delicate rice noodles (string hoppers or ‘iddiyapam’) and drizzled with chicken gravy, saffron infused milk, cashews, caramelised onions and raisins.

The biriyani will be served alongside a Cucumber and Yoghurt Raita and Malay Pickle, and the feast will conclude with Watalappam – the most famous and traditional of Sri Lankan desserts – a spiced coconut-custard pudding with cashew nuts.

The island’s diversity plays a large part in the vibrancy and strength of Sri Lankan cooking and this series aims to raise awareness around the subtleties between communities and cuisines. Upcoming menus include dishes from communities such as the Durtch Burgher and Tamil.

For more information, get in touch with l.brown@gemmabellandcompany.com