To start my year with regular intake of fermented food, the first preparation is fermented jicama with slices of ginger, turmeric, galangal.
So easy, cut jicama into thin strips, place in a lined jar, add 2% its weight of fine salt, mix well, cover with boiled and cool down 2% brine. Leave at around 20˚C, fine bubble formed from day 2 and vigorously on day 3, ready to enjoy a small portion with every meal. Keep in the fridge to slow down fermentation/souring.
I have read a lot of reviews on this restaurant on Fort Road,
North Point, local teahouse style but using very good ingredients and
excellent cooking, at a fair price. Finally I managed to get there for
lunch, very interesting menu and indeed good quality meat used,
especially for Cha Siu.
Ordered 3 dishes, Cha Siu, roast
duck and pickled baby pork knuckles. Texture of meat perfect, really
delicious and big portion. The two of us can’t finished and happily take
home to enjoy later.
The abundance of wild life in Sri Lanka is amazing, not just in the countryside, but also in towns and cities. Birds, small moneys and peacocks share the space with citizens, and buffalo being herded around. Mosquitos and midges are rare probably because of the cooler weather, and plantation/resort owners are diligent to remove fallen leaves to stop water drops gathering on the leaves for bugs to breed.
Most delicious treat for us is buffalo curd, still prepared in clay pots, served with coconut treacle. We nearly have a tub everyday. The local small roasted peanuts that are sold in shops are crunchy and tasty.
On the cuisine side, their curry is a bit simple and lack depth like other countries, dishes are simply made and not memorable. Only a few places you can see the chefs must be well trained to really use better ingredients and put flavours into dishes.
Last stop of the tour we stay at Galle, at the south western tip of the island. We stayed at Bartizan Hotel, west facing with a roof top terrace and 3 room with sea view.
A vibrant history of being colonised by various European countries started with Dutch and ends with British for its strategic location for sea trade, and weather for coffee, tea and spices plantations.
A strong fortification was built by the Dutch that lasted until now, defining the old part of Galle. This helps to keep the unique spirit inside, large colonial buildings with courtyards and big trees, very charming.
It is worth spending time to wander around all the streets to admire the old buildings, a lot converted to museums, restaurants and hotels. And then on top of the fortification wall. People tends to gather around the west side to wait for the magnificent sunset every evening.
It
is the only city we stayed in our tour and have to say find it busy with
motorbikes, tuk tuk, and crowded with tourists, also the only place
where we see rubbish here and there, a city problem.
An hour away in the hill is Handunugoda organic tea plantation, producing Herman tea.
It is a low altitude tea plantation, and there are mix planting of tall trees to provide shade, to keep tea plants cooler.
We
joined a guided tour that offered very informative explanations on
production, harvest and the processed to transform Camellia Sinensis to
white, green and black tea.
At the end there is tasting of all
the varieties of teas they produce, from pure tea leaves to mix with
herbs and spices. A valuable experience, one that encourages me to look
for seeds and try to grow my own tea bushes and tea making, for own
consumption and for fun.
The veg fruit and fish market outside Galle old town is pretty big, with a lot of varieties to choose from.
A lot of restaurants to choose in Galle but most memorable is the dinner at Arch restaurant and afternoon tea at Amangala hotel, beautiful atmosphere.
