Sri Lankan Cooking in Unawatana

Sri Lanka    05.02.2025    TransIndus

The following article details the experience of one of our team members, Roop Kumar, with a Sri Lankan chef in the local village of Unawatuna. The cookery class explored popular Sri Lankan delicacies, teaching the flavor combinations and cooking techniques.

 

Meet Chef Karuna

Unawatuna, located on Sri Lanka's southern coast near Galle, is a vibrant beach town renowned for its crescent-shaped golden sands, turquoise waters, and lush palm trees. It offers a mix of relaxation and adventure, with activities like snorkeling, surfing, and exploring cultural landmarks such as the Japanese Peace Pagoda and the historic Galle Fort nearby. Unawatuna is also home to Sonja’s Health Food Restaurant, a Sri Lankan cooking class led by Karuna, a friendly and fun-loving instructor.

At a young age, Karuna survived the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami which devastated Sri Lankan hearts. In the years which followed, her bubbly spirit would not be repressed and her cookery classes have greatly helped her village to recover, both financially and as a community.

Roop (left) pictured with the lead chef, Karuna (right)

A culinary experience to remember

The cooking class at Sonja’s Health Food Restaurant offers a hands-on introduction to Sri Lankan cuisine, with a focus on traditional techniques and fresh, local ingredients. This immersive and authentic home cooking experience allows participants to understand the importance of fresh produce in Sri Lankan cooking while learning how to select the best ingredients. The recipes change as per the vegetables of the season, meaning there are exciting new dishes all year round!

The day began with a trip to local markets to buy fresh vegetables, fish, lentils, and spices. Karuna guided participants on selecting ingredients and suggested curry powders to purchase for home use. The class was vegan-friendly, with most dishes naturally plant-based due to the use of coconut milk and cream. While a fish curry was part of the menu, Karuna was flexible about substituting it with a vegetable-based dish if needed.

The group learned how to make coconut rotti with hot onion sambal as a starter. The rotti was made using freshly grated coconut flesh, and the sambal was a quick mix of chili, tomato, onion, and lime juice. Karuna also demonstrated how to extract fresh coconut cream and milk for use in the curries. Several dishes were then prepared: devilled potatoes, mango curry, pumpkin curry, bean curry, dhal, and fish curry. The food itself was outstanding. The adaptability of the recipes also stood out; they could easily be modified with different vegetables or proteins to suit dietary preferences.

The class was excellent, offering fantastic food and a unique experience. Most importantly, it offered an authentic glimpse into Sri Lankan cuisine and culture. Karuna's cooking class is a perfect experience to add to your itinerary, not just to learn about the local cuisine, but to also spend time with a real local and learn about daily life in Unawatuna.

Mango Curry recipe

Ingredients

• 3 hard, unripe mangos - chop each mango into six pieces
• 5 garlic cloves
• 1 onion, chopped
• 10 curry leaves
• 1 stick cinnamon
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
• 3 teaspoons chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 glass coconut milk
• 3 teaspoons sugar

Method

Fry onion, garlic and cinnamon in hot oil. After a minute, throw in curry leaves. Add turmeric chili powder, curry powder and salt. Add mangos and a glass of water. After five minutes, put in the coconut milk. Cook for 20 minutes on low heat, then add sugar. Cook for five more minutes. Serve with rice.

Curry Powder

To make your own curry powder, roast the following spices in a pan for two hours and pound like a madman!

• 30g coriander seeds
• 20g cumin seeds
• 10g peppercorn
• 5g turmeric root
• 10g cinnamon
• 5 pods cardamom
• 5 cloves
• A handful of curry leaves

 

If you are interested in joining Karuna's cooking class during your Sri Lanka holiday, please contact us to arrange a spot. This class needs a minimum of just 2 people to commence, so it is perfect for couples who want to learn a new dish to impress their friends and family with!

Sri Lanka  Sri Lanka in Style