Indian cuisine from Sri Lanka

Sri Lankan cuisine is a mix of influences from the kitchens of Kerala, Portuguese and Dutch .

As for traditional Indian cuisine, there are several dishes based on rice and vegetables or meat; while unlike this, many dishes based on bread, which the Sinhalese call "short eat", are prepared with white flour, not wholemeal flour.

Moreover, in the island, the use of coconut milk is preferred to prepare curry-based sauces and a lot of freshly grated coconut is consumed, as an important part of the daily diet.

Finally, there are many egg dishes .

We see a couple of vegetarian recipes of this Singhalese or Sinhalese cuisine so unique and special.

Bean kari, the veg curry with long green beans

Ingredients:

> 300 g of long green beans, peeled and cut into pieces of about 5 centimeters;

> 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder;

> 1 piece of fresh, peeled and chopped ginger;

> 3/4 cloves of garlic;

> 1 pair of tablespoons of coconut oil or vegetable oil;

> 2 teaspoons of black mustard seeds;

> 5 fresh leaves of Indian curry;

> 1 teaspoon curry powder;

> 400 g of coconut milk;

> 1 cinnamon stick;

> 1 dried red pepper;

> the juice of a lime;

> 1 teaspoon of garam masala;

> 1 handful of fresh coriander;

> salt;

> boiled basmati white rice and roti (Indian bread) to accompany.

Preparation : chop together, with the help of a blender, the onion, turmeric, ginger, garlic and a teaspoon of oil, adding a generous pinch of salt.

In a large pan put the rest of the oil and sauté the mustard seeds, the curry leaves, cooking until they start to fry and give off a good smell.

Then add the previously blended onion paste and continue at medium-low heat for another five minutes. Mix well and add the curry powder, coconut milk, garlic, cinnamon and chilli, cooking over a low heat.

Then add the green beans and continue cooking for another 15 minutes or until the beans are tender. Then sprinkle the lime juice, add the garam masala, immediately turn off the heat, mix well and serve hot on the table with a handful of coarsely chopped fresh coriander, accompanied with rice and roti.

Here is a useful video to prepare this special Sri Lankan vegetarian curry.