Spice Odyssey Sri Lanka and Southern India

This exotic part of the world conjures up images of impossibly lush tropical jungles, enchanting beauty and heady aromas of spice. Think beaches fringed with swaying coconut palms, fertile tea, spice and rubber plantations, tropical fruit orchards, smiling faces and a landscape dotted with shrines and temples. Both Sri Lanka and southern India embrace the rich heritage of Buddhist, Hindu, Christian and Muslim influences, adding layers of complexity to their food, architecture and social order.

The south of India has long been important to spice traders, and the port towns have always played a key role in the spice routes. Cardamom is indigenous to both Sri Lanka and southern India, and is traded with the rest of the world. Over 90 per cent of the world’s supply of cinnamon is produced in Sri Lanka, and it is regarded as the finest quality. Fresh green peppercorns, black pepper, small fiery green chillies, nutmeg, cloves, turmeric and tender young rhizomes of ginger make their presence felt in just about every recipe, but it is how these spices are blended that gives each dish its particular flavour profile. To capture the authentic tastes of this region, my pantry essentials include a liberal quantity of coconut (cream, milk, vinegar and oil), fresh curry leaves, ginger, tamarind, cashew nuts, pepper and various aromatic spices, small green chillies, limes, split black gram (urad dal) and rice.