by Jamie on December 7, 2010
As the long winter nights where I live set in, I often yearn for an immediate taste and reminder of Sri Lanka.
That usually means food!
Short eats are little bites of absolute heaven that Sri Lankans often like to eat on the move. Uludu Wade are currently top of my personal short eats league table and provide the chilli kick needed to transport me back to poolside Colombo. And if you’ve never had one, it’s exactly what you think: a crispy lentil-based doughnut with a chilli kick. This is deep-fried food, the wonderful greasy kind that dipped in a chutney takes me back to Sri Lanka. I could eat them every day. But I don’t.
Discover Uludu Wade
These are all rough estimates as Rupa (my favourite Sri Lankan cook) has never written any recipe down. I don’t think she has ever used a weighing scale! These ingredients can be bought from most Asian supermarkets.
Ingredients
2 cups of urad dhal (also known as black gram)
6 cups of water
a pinch of salt
¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
½ onion (finely chopped)
10 curry leaves (roughly sliced)
3 green chillies (finely sliced)
Oil for deep-frying
Method
1. Wash the dahl and leave to soak in a bowl of fresh water (preferably overnight).
2. Drain any left over water; then using a food processor blend the dhal to a smooth paste.
3. Add the bicarbonate of soda and salt and blend again.
4. Transfer the smooth paste into a bowl; then add the onion, chillies and curry leaves and mix together well.
5. Wipe your hands together with some oil.
6. Take a small amount of the mixture and roll it into a small ball (i.e a golf ball or 5cm). Then make a hole through the ball with your index finger. Repeat process with the remaining mixture (about 18 Wade in total).
7. Heat oil in a deep fryer or deep pan.
8. Add six doughnuts at a time to the oil and cook for 4-5 minutes until golden brown.
9. Transfer Uludu Wade to a bowl lined with kitchen towel to drain excess oil.
Serve immediately with your favourite chutney. I love coconut chutney, but sweet chilli sauce works!
by Jamie on November 24, 2010
Photo: Jamie Last
Safari lovers take note! Sri Lanka maybe better known for it’s pristine beaches, year-round sunshine, curry and cricket, but outside Africa Sri Lanka is one of the best places in the world to go on safari. Here’s why…
Sri Lanka’s Big Five:
Leopard
Yala National Park in the southeast has one of the densest leopard populations in the world. Whilst rarely seen in the rest of Asia, the chances of spotting leopard in Yala during February to July is better. Unchallenged by tiger or lion, leopard are often seen sleeping under the shade of a tree in this beautiful park. Other than Yala, there have also been sightings of leopard in Wilpattu National Park, on the island’s Northwest Coast.
Elephant
With over 2500 wild elephants roaming the island, Sri Lanka is the best place to see the Asian elephant on the continent. A large herd of about 250 elephant is permanently resident in Uda Walawe National Park, in Southern Sri Lanka, and is relatively easy to spot between January and March and between August and October.
Minneriya National Park, a huge water tank of 8800 hectares on the Northwest coast, is also home to hundreds of wild elephant which congregate during September and October by the receding shores of Minneriya Lake.
Sloth Bear
Sri Lanka’s sloth bear has a reputation for unpredictability and ferocity. If taken by surprise, a sloth bear will charge through the forest rather than climb a tree like other bears.
Head for Yala National Park or Wilpattu National Park between June and July for a chance to see sloth bears, when wild berries have ripened bringing the shy animals into the open.
Blue Whale & Sperm Whale
It’s easier to see a Blue or Sperm Whale in Sri Lankan waters than a leopard in Yala National Park, according to some wildlife experts. Sri Lanka is indeed one of the most reliable sites in the world to view the illusive Blue Whale. Head for the coastal southern strip between Galle , Mirissa and Dondra, and a few kilometres offshore it is possible to witness Blue or Sperm whales surfacing every few minutes to blow water and air up to 25 feet into the air. Best time to see whales off Sri Lanka’s beautiful coastline is between January and April.
