K Words

For some reason there seem to be a lot of “K” words in Sinhala, especially when it comes to vegetables.

Food is an important part of the culture of Sri Lanka, and discovering some of the more exotic fruits and vegetables and how they are prepared has been a joyful experience I’ve shared with my friends – and sundry farmers and stallholders – these last twenty years.

Since I became a blogger, my cataloging has become more methodical and a while ago I was surprised to find I had a little collection of “K” vegetables which I put aside to make into a post when Frizz’s Flickr Comments reached Tagged “K”.   What to do?  This week I’m supposed to be finalising the ‘for sale’ lists and taking measurements and photographs, deciding how much I can ask for the sofas and the lovely old Jaffna Chest that I can’t take out of the country because of its’ ebony inlay … but I can’t forsake the “K” veggies!

Kessel Muwa – the flower pod of the banana – always treated as a vegetable

To prepare, simply remove a couple of the outer sheathes that have become a little tough and dry and contain larger embryonic bananas

Usually eaten as a salad, simply chop the muwa into small pieces, wash in salt and add onions and lime juice, a little chilli and pepper … yum!

As a treat, or a snack, Kumari sometimes makes what she calls Kessel Muwa biscuits kudu – biscuit pieces. After removing the outer sheathes, she slices the pod into rings about the thickness of your little finger

…. dust both sides with a mixture of turmeric, tuna paha (raw curry powder) and a touch of chilli …

… dredge in an egg and milk mixture and crumb …

… fry till golden and eat with great relish! A little Lunu Miris with them would be nice, if you wanted a spicy accompaniment, but I rather like them with a tangy egg mayonnaise, and/or a dash of hot ginger chutney.

Karapincha – a pretty small tree of the Murraya family than which there is no smell more redolent of the Sri Lankan kitchen – especially of it being roasted, or flash fried to be served as a crispy accompaniment, as one might do parsley.

Karawila – bitter gourd, an acquired taste perhaps, but absolutely delicious fried and made into a tangy symbol with sweet red onions and tomatoes …  the hairy little green balls of the header shot are a different variety of karawila called Thumba.

Kohila Ala – a water-loving root vegetable with spectacular spear-shaped leaves on softly barbed stems, and large tuberous roots.

Made from the stems and leaves, this curry is mild and delicious

The large roots are peeled, soaked in salty water

and chopped finely to make a crisp fresh tasting sambol with tomato, red onion and chopped green chilli

Kathuramurunga Mal – The large fleshy white flowers of the kataramurunga tree (the leaves of which are famously used in Jaffna prawn curry, or Mo’s kakuluwo (crabs) curry

Ambrosial when thrown at the last minute into a ‘Sri Lankan’ omelette of diced red onion, finely sliced green chilli and tomato

More delicate in texture and flavour than Karapincha, Mo uses kathuramurunga leaves in her famous crab (Kakuluwo) curry – and liberally as an edible garnish

Kadju – fresh, crunchy cashew nuts have a slightly milky flavour and are refreshing to eat, as is, if you see a woman shucking them at the flower market, but really, they make the king of vegetable curries – a white curry of kadju with fresh green peas.

Rinse and soak the kadju until ready to prepare, then add the peas

chopped green chilli, karapincha, tumeric, tuna paha and salt

… tomatoes and red onion. Simmer gently in 2nd press coconut milk until the nuts cease to absorb any more liquid, then add a little 1st press milk bring to a simmer and serve

Kankung – Ipomea aquatica – water spinach, morning glory – absolutely delicious as a stir fry, no matter what name you give it!

and last, but not least, the green rice and garlic soup known as Kola Kanda – green eats, traditionally served at breakfast (or pre-dawn at the monasteries) can be prepared from any number of greens.  A little like the Italians, Sri Lankan housewives love to collect fresh herbs and grasses from the veggie patch to prepare this delicious soup.

A gorgeous grass-green, Welpanilla kola kanda is more bitter than Atawardi kola kanda and one is tempted to have the occasional nibble of the traditional shards of hakuru (jaggery/palm sugar)

Kola Kanda from Welpanilla is very green

My favourite Kola Kanda is made from Attawadi – somehow related to the asparagus, I think – has the same hook-like thorns, climbs/twines

My favourite