FREE

Peanut-butter cookie brownie from Skrumptious.

OCTOBER/ 2015 WWW.YAMU.LK

4 We Hope It’s Not Raining Right Now

October is smack in the middle of rainy season (which usu- EDITORIAL ally goes till late November), but that doesn’t mean that you Indi Samarajiva can’t go out. There are more places than ever opening in and Vidya Balachander around Colombo. This issue we cover Thalis and Che Che, Bhagya Goonewardhane Aisha Nazim among others. Note, however, that Che Che got so much Imaad Majeed business after our online review that they had to shut down for a while, so be gentle. ADVERTISING Dinesh Hirdaramani If you’re wondering how the YAMU sausage is made, we 779 776 445 / [email protected] now welcome Imaad Majeed to our writing team. He also did the layout for this issue. CONTACT 11 454 4230 (9 AM - 5 PM) [email protected] Finally, we are also a website, and Janith and Malinthe are hard at work improving our app and creating new ones. PRINTED BY Imashi Printers Anyways, don’t forget your umbrella. ©2015 YAMU (Pvt) Ltd 14/15A Duplication Road, Col 4 indi

8

Thalis 155, Park Road, Colombo 5 | 777 686 192

BY VIDYA nod to Chindian (or Indian Chinese), mum’s sambar), while the tama- can present a prob- the menu at Thalis is an ambitious rind-laden kuzhambu, a spicy-sour lem of plenty — with so many dif- and expansive one. But displaying a dish with lady fingers and karawila, ferent states, it’s nearly impossible rare decisiveness when confronted was the sleeper hit of the meal. With to represent India on a plate. But with multiple options, I zeroed in on unlimited refills available for each of the thali is a pretty good primer. the south Indian thali (Rs. 400). the individual elements, Thalis’ thali Quite literally a plate laden with is fantastic value for money. several small cups bearing up to a A neat freak’s delight, the thali held dozen dishes, the thali is a compact ten individual cups arranged around You’d imagine that a thali with mul- introduction to the dizzying vari- the plate, with a larger vessel of rice tiple refills of payasam (just per- ety of regional Indian cuisine. That’s in the middle. I was delighted to find fectly sweet, creamy and decadent) precisely what you get at Thalis, a both rasam (a tangy and usually would have been plenty, but we had brand new vegetarian addition to fiery soup made of dal) and sam- brought our A game to this lunch. Park Road. Serving both north and bar; a coconutty snake gourd curry So we also ordered puliodhare (Rs. south Indian thalis in addition to a as well as a dry bean one; fresh curd 350) or tamarind rice, along with a la carte dishes and snacks, this all- to wash it all down and payasam to cucumber raita (Rs. 200). Usually a vegetarian eatery is authentic and sweeten the deal. tangy and spicy preparation, Thalis’ affordable — two adjectives we love version was a tad off-balance. Al- more than others. The rasam was much too watered though generously speckled with down to have any real punch, and fried peanuts for crunch, the rice THE FOOD the beans poriyal was run-of-the- was underseasoned and didn’t Spanning the whole range from do- mill. But the thick sambar laden have the characteristic pucker of sas, vadais and other light bites to with pearl onions was perfectly tamarind. The raita with cucumber north Indian dishes, with a cursory balanced (and reminded me of my cubes in watery curd was similarly LAUNCHED!

brand new attire, same bold cheese

71 587 8878 | fb.com/eyriecheese

under-salted and generally under- and asafoetida, and garnished with below). whelming. green chillies and coriander stems, was pretty damn perfect. Neither The comfortable wooden chairs On the other hand, the melt-in-the- thick nor diluted, and chilled just and gleaming table tops arranged mouth paneer butter masala (Rs. so, it was the perfect antidote for a in a brightly-lit dining area aren’t de- 600) positively took us by surprise. sunny day. signed for you to dawdle over a long Usually a combination of rub- meal. This is the sort of place where bery pieces of cottage cheese in But it was the frothy filter you eat with your full attention and a sweetened gravy, a good paneer served in a petite tumbler that I then get on with it. Although the dish is rare to find in Colombo. How- enjoyed the most. From the pres- speedy service keeps pace with the ever, Thalis’ iteration of this classic entation down to the sweet, frothy general air of briskness, we found north Indian preparation gave us brew, everything reminded me of all the wait staff to be polite, hos- little reason to nitpick. The soft and the afternoon coffee rituals that pitable and attentive, urging us to crumbly pieces of paneer added were such an important part of my have more refills of the thali. richness to the tangy and perfectly growing-up years. Just for the joy balanced tomato gravy. Scooped of the filter coffee alone, I’m sure I’ll CONCLUSION up with pieces of the fresh and soft return to Thalis soon. Authentic Indian food is still not naan (Rs. 225) studded with fat abundant in Colombo. Thalis cloves of garlic, it was one of the AMBIENCE & SERVICE makes for an exciting addition to highlights of our meal. Thalis bears the simple and func- the local culinary scene. At just over tional air of a restaurant where the Rs. 2,000 for a substantial meal The beverages also held up their focus is on food over frills (although that also included a full thali, it is a end of the bargain. The savoury but- we appreciate the colourful little wallet-friendly and generally happy- termilk (Rs. 150) seasoned with salt touches at the entrance, pictured making option. 10

giovanni’s 145, Thimbirigasyaya Road, Colombo 5 | 770 335 366

BY BHAGYA Giovanni’s keeps things relatively the bacon half, which really helped Since they first opened their doors one simple with a 20-item menu that emphasize the fatty flavour of the year ago, Giovanni’s has been our go- revolves around classic italian meat. to spot for wood-fired pizzas. This time preparations. You’ll find the entire One thing we really appreciate around, despite Dimuthu’s absence on menu written out on a blackboard about Giovanni’s is the fact that they the day we visited, they still dished out at the entrance. Prices range from absolutely pile on the toppings. One the quality pies we’ve come to expect the mid-to-high end, but the pizzas slice of the pollo cacciatore had the from them. are large and more than sufficient equivalent of half the topping you’d for one hungry person. They also top get at a mainstream pizza chain. The THE PIZZAS their pizzas more generously than chicken, while well-cooked, was also In the course of the year, the folks at any other pizzeria in Colombo (even moist. The flavour of the tomato came YAMU have made numerous stops compared with the likes of Harpo’s through well, further complemented at Giovanni’s. I happened to be one of and Domenico’s), so the value for by the basil leaves added on top. the only people in the office to not have money is unbeatable. The other pizza consisted of one tried their pizzas, so I was excited to Since the option was available, we salami half and the other half, all-meat see if all the hype was for real. went for two half-and-half pizzas. (Rs. 1,700 for a full pizza of either). On our previous visits, it had been The first of these had bacon and pollo With a fermented tang that comes Dimuthu manning the clay oven, cacciatore (Rs. 1,400 and Rs. 1,500 through in the flavour of the pizza, so we were a bit surprised to find a respectively for full pizzas). While the salami may not be for everyone. The different gent working the dough this latter is essentially chicken doused pizza nails the brief in terms of flavour, time around. From what I’ve heard, in a tomato sauce with added herbs, but it may taste funny to those who Dimuthu trusts very few people with the bacon pizza is quite simply that aren’t too familiar with the distinct making pizzas, so I was definitely — unadulterated bacony goodness flavour of salami. curious to see how well the chef with warm, stringy mozzarella. The all-meat was also legit, with plenty deemed worthy of the task would fare. There wasn’t much else going on in of bacon, chicken and beef, topped 11

off with sliced capsicum despite the simple wooden furniture, and basil leaves. This chequered table cloth and balconies also had a spicy kick that overlook the street. They’ve got to it, with a bit of dried seating for around 15 upstairs, but chilli added into the mix. don’t be surprised if you see them Despite the abundance set up tables on the side walk to of ingredients, they still accommodate the hungry hordes. managed to maintain Clay oven pizzas require very little that balance of flavours, cooking time, so you can expect the so the savouriness and service to be quite fast. That being spice is evened out by said, it is still quite a small operation, the creaminess of the so the service time does get slower mozzarella. as the place packs up. The guys at Giovanni’s are casual, friendly and AMBIENCE & SERVICE knowledgeable. As for the new chef, Despite its popularity, we’d say he fared pretty darn well. Giovanni’s remains quite a small space. The CONCLUSION ground floor is where the We’re happy to see that Giovanni’s magic happens, while hasn’t let the demand affect the the compact dining area quality of their pizzas. It’s one of the with just a few tables few places in town that has been occupies the first floor. It’s consistently knocking it out of the park, actually quite charming— so we’re excited to see what Dimuthu and perfect for a date— & Co. come up with next. 12

Where to find the best cuppa? We’ve got you covered with 11 entries into Colombo’s coffee dictionary.

BY VIDYA

In a country that has had a centuries-long white, and more. Many more. romance with tea, coffee is a recent upstart. There wasn’t really much of a Now that there are nearly as many coffee in Colombo even until a few years ago. But styles as letters in the alphabet, we decided with a slew of home-grown and internation- to put together a dictionary . Here’s our A-Z al chains opening up, -seekers sud- guide to coffee available in the capital. denly have it better than ever before. NOTE: During the course of our coffee-addled The coffee dictionary has expanded beyond research, we were disappointed by the incon- the usual and , to sistencies at most coffee shops across the city. niche styles such as ca phe sua da (or Viet- So take this as just a guide, results may vary. namese-style coffee), the cold drip, the flat

Places Mentioned Here Coco Veranda Ward Place 0117635635 Caffitaly Vivekananda Road, Wellawatte Dolce Italia 147, Vajira Road, Colombo 5 0112559900 Hansa Coffee Fife Road, Colombo 5 0112584832 Pho Vietnam 47, Thimbirigasyaya, Colombo 5 0772722277 Shanmugas 53/3, Ramakrishna Road, Wellawatte 0112361384 Sri Suryas 255, Sea Street, Colombo 11 0112424789 The Cake Factory 91A, 5th Lane, Colombo 3 0777382510 Whight & Co Marine Drive and Aloe Avenue, 0114383236 Colombo 3 13

A for americano Try it at: Whight & Co

Quite simply an diluted with hot water, the Americano is the culturally confused cousin of the Italian espresso. (It is believed to have been created by American soldiers in Italy during World War II, making it neither entirely Italian nor totally American.) Lighter-bodied and less intense, it is perfectly suited for those who can’t quite handle the in-your-face kick of espresso.

C For Ca Phe Sua Da C for Cappuccino Try it at: Pho Vietnam, Whight & Co Try it at: Dolce Italia, Coco Veranda

One of the lingering legacies of France’s six-decade- A drink that inspires serious fanfare, cappuccino is long colonial rule of Vietnam, ca phe sua da or Viet- also one of the most technical Italian coffee styles to namese-style iced coffee brings together high-quality perfect. (That’s probably why a good one is so hard Vietnamese coffee and sweetened condensed milk in to find!) has phased out cappucino from one curious package. Because of limitations on the its menu in favour of the , so it’s quite com- availability of fresh milk, the French and Vietnamese forting that we’ve still got a demand for it here in Co- began to use sweetened condensed milk with a dark lombo. It’s made of a single shot of espresso topped roast coffee. It is also called ca phe nau da in northern with an equal quantity of hot milk, and crowned with Vietnam. A small, drip filter is usually affixed over a a thick layer of milk foam. Those who worship at the cup containing a chunky layer of condensed milk. You altar of coffee nerd-dom would tell you that for a cap- wait for the hot brew to percolate completely, mix it puccino to be perfect, everything from the thickness up with the viscous condensed milk and add several of the foam to the size of the bubbles matters. But ice cubes before you slurp up the strong, cold, bitter- here’s our rule of thumb: if the foam is thick enough to sweet brew. You can also leave out the ice cubes and support a teaspoon on the surface for a couple mo- drink it hot, but it’s not as fun. ments, you know you’re drinking a good one. 14

C For Cold Drip E For Espresso Try it at: Whight & Co Try it at: Caffitaly, Whight & Co

Hailed as a ‘break-out star’, the cold drip is actually a A hangover cure par excellence and the basic building centuries-old technique that has gained currency in block of most coffee styles, the espresso is a highly pre- the recent past. It involves dripping room temperature cise creation that involves a delicate dance between fine water (as opposed to the hot water that is generally coffee grounds and boiling water or steam that is forced used for most coffee styles) over coffee grounds at a through under pressure. Said to mean ‘pressed out’ in very slow pace (between 12-24 hours), to create a full- Italian, serving an espresso as soon as it is brewed is cru- bodied concentrate. Usually served over ice cubes, cial to its flavour. But that doesn’t mean you should call it this smooth and heady brew is a revelation. an expresso — that’s just wrong.

I for Indian Filter L for Try it at: Sri Suryas, Shanmuga Try it at: Caffitaly, Coco Veranda, Dolce Italia

Using the universal principle of a drip filter, this style in- Like a cappuccino but minus the foam, latte means volves pouring hot water slowly over coffee grounds to ‘’ in Italian. Traditionally a larger cup extract a thick concentrate, which is then mixed with hot than a cappuccino, the latte also includes a higher milk and sugar. Typically served in small steel tumblers at milk to espresso ratio. The milk is steamed to give south Indian restaurants, Indian filter coffee is known for the latte its characteristic appearance, also mak- its theatrics – servers often pour it from one vessel held ing the drink a canvas for . Google ‘latte art’ high above their heads to another one held lower, creat- and you’ll see what we mean. ing what is locally known as ‘metre coffee’. 15

F For Flat White I For Iced Coffee Try it at: Hansa Coffee Try it at: The Cake Factory

Widely credited as being an Australian innovation, Long welcomed into the fold of Sri Lankan clas- the flat white has a similar composition as the sics, iced coffee is one of those styles that enjoys cappuccino. The all-important difference is that crossover popularity both among coffee snobs and the espresso is topped with a thin layer of foam, the rest of us plebs. A decadent combination of which means you get a stronger coffee flavour. brewed and (oodles of) condensed Starbucks is trying to introduce this item to their milk, it is even occasionally jazzed up with a shot menu in place of the cappucino, so it’s likely to be- of brandy. The fact that it is inauthentic seems ir- come more popular, soon. relevant to its mass appeal.

M for Macchiato P for Pour Over Try it at: Caffitaly, Dolce Italia Try it at: Whight & Co

‘Macchiato’ means spotted in Italian, so this bever- Using the fairly basic principle of pouring hot water over age is composed of an espresso shot with a spot coffee grounds and filtering it to get a smooth brew, the of frothed milk on top. The milk dulls the blunt pour over has become something between an art and a edge of the espresso, but only just — this is still an science. Balancing the coarseness of the coffee grounds, intense and full-bodied drink that punches above the temperature of the water and the quality of the filter its (tiny) size. If you like a pretty cuppa for your In- might seem like too much work for a cuppa coffee, but stagram, go for this. if the purists are to be believed, it’s well worth the effort.

18

che che’S 11/1, Vimukthi Mawatha, Palawatta | 773 508 492

BY BHAGYA Yes, dumplings aren’t incredibly accompanying sauce. This one Che Che’s is a new home-based expensive to make, but they take a came with a soy, cilantro and green take-out venture specializing in fair bit of skill and know-how to nail. chilli sauce, which brought that extra Chinese dumplings and steamed They offer chicken, beef, pork and bit of saltiness and heat. More often buns. It may still be in its infancy, but vegetarian fillings in traditional and than not, restaurants will serve it the food is delicious and incredibly spicy variants. At the moment they with just soy, but those other two affordable, given the quality. The are take-out only, but we were told ingredients really tie all the flavours only caveat is that they’re located that they’re hoping to open a dine-in together. in Palawatta, which isn’t the most restaurant in Colombo once they’ve accessible location, but we think it’s expanded their menu. Next up was the pan-fried jiaozi well worth the trip. with traditional pork filling (Rs. 370 First off, we tried the steamed jiaozi for 10). While we enjoyed the beef THE FOOD with tradional beef filling (Rs. 350 for filling quite a lot, this was our pick We often find that home cooks offer 10). These were along the lines of between the two dumplings. The some of the best food in Colombo, what you’d find at most restaurants, fact that the dumplings had been both in terms of quality and value for but executed with more finesse. pan-fried added a welcome crunch, money — and Che Che’s exemplifies The dumpling had a velvety-smooth which worked beautifully with the just that. They’re still very new texture, with just a hint of saltiness. well-seasoned and moist pork filling. so the menu is limited to jiaozi The filling was also seasoned just Once again, the chilli garlic sauce (dumplings) and baozi (buns), both enough to bring out the flavour of added another dimension of flavour. of which can be had either steamed the beef. All their sauces are homemade and or pan-fried. What really surprised definitely taste like it. This sauce had us was how affordable all of it was, While the dumpling was good on its more oomph, with plenty of garlic with each portion (10 dumplings own, to really unlock its full flavour and just enough spice. or 5 buns) priced under Rs. 400. potential, you need to dip it into the

The pan-fried baozi with spicy pork occasional chilli seed adding a their home in Palawatta. Orders can filling (Rs. 395 for five) ended things burst of heat. It was so good that I be placed by either calling them on off on a high note. A good baozi is shamelessly finished off the entire 0773508492 or contacting them nearly impossible to find via their Facebook page. in Colombo, so needless Orders should ideally be to say, these blew the placed a day in advance competition straight out but they aren’t too strict of the water. They nailed about that. that perfect contrast of textures, with a crisp CONCLUSION outer shell and a soft We’ve been asked to centre. The spicy pork recommend restaurants filling also also balanced for dimsum and out the doughy flavour dumplings. Until now, of the bun. we haven’t been able to wholeheartedly The filling itself was recommend any particular tender, with a texture almost like thing with a teaspoon. No regrets. spot. But Che Che’s dumplings are pulled pork. This one came with both affordable and delicious. We’re a sweet chilli sauce, which was ORDERING definitely looking forward to seeing my personal favourite. The sauce Since Che Che’s is still very new, they them in Colombo. was perfectly balanced, with the currently only offer take-out from

22

the nail anatomy 14 Reid Avenue, Colombo 7 (inside Lakpahana) | 112 688 358

BY KINITA SERVICE was great. The music was some Nail Anatomy has been around for From the point of entry to exit, you gently tinkling harp stuff, incredibly a just over a couple of years now, can expect a smoothly manicured relaxing and soothing. She brought and they’ve solidly maintained their experience. The staff, mostly me a glass of water, and handed me standard since our last review. Our Indonesian or Filipino, are extremely some disposable undergarments to focus this time was more on their well trained and know the menu don. Before the massage, she put new services rather than their nail and services well. They were able to a thermal pad on my back which services, which we have already answer all my questions and were slowly increased heat in order to covered in depth before. They’ve got informative and polite. ease my muscles. a whole range of new things to offer, from full massages to specialist I requested a Signature Massage, The massage itself was all I could treatments for healthy nails and feet. which is an hour-long, full body have expected. Once or twice, Shri Their site isn’t updated yet but you massage. Before I went in for would ask if the pressure was can give them a call for more details. the massage, I was given a short enough/too much, but otherwise I form to fill, explaining any ongoing was left to my comfortable reverie. They also have a range of products medical conditions, where my stress She was efficient, took her time, and to deal with all kinds of issues like areas were, the level of pressure I clearly knew what she was doing. topical pain and infected nails/ required, and which areas I wanted Most importantly, I felt comfortable toe nails. All of them are top-end, the massage to focus on. I told them and was totally able to relax. medically reputed brands like that it was just general tension and Towards the end of the massage, ClearZal, footlogix, and Avoplex. At they nodded sagely. she did some interesting pressure around Rs. 4,000 for the ClearZal, for point reflexology on my shoulders instance, the products don’t come My masseuse, Shri, was great. and face, which was strangely cheap. But if you have a genuine She ushered me into a lovely little relaxing. This was followed up with issue, these are probably your best massage room and left me to some aromatherapy breathing with bet. change. The attention to detail essential oils to wrap up the session. 23

Shri finished with a hot towel rub you can rest your head in and look 4,000, which is cheaper than most down to get rid of all the excess oil. through, I realized that instead of places like Spa Ceylon or even This woke me up a bit after my dozy having to look at a boring floor, they Siddhalepa. This is a bit surprising hour. had placed a little stone bowl with because their other services are all flowers and stones underneath. It a bit above average Colombo salon After I got dressed and went out was a great little touch for those who prices. into the reception area, they had tend to keep their eyes open during a prepared a little cup of green tea with massage. If you’re planning an event like a a cookie while they arranged the bill. hen’s night, an office treat, or even They usually offer you a drink and CONCLUSION a little pampering party, they can snack with most procedures, but it I was impressed and happy. I also organise it for you. You can book was still a thoughtful touch. got a Classic Pedicure, which out the whole place, specify your consists of a full pedicure, exfoliating numbers, budget, and what kind of AMBIENCE scrub, massage, cleaning, cuticle services you want. They can arrange Apart from maintaining a really treatment, and of course, nail for catering or you can bring in your quiet and peaceful environment, painting. They use quality OPI nail own food. the lighting is perfect. The dedicated colour, and are careful and diligent. massage room was quite dim It’s pricey at Rs. 2,500, but definitely They also have a great offer going on and cosy, equipped with a proper worth it. I asked them about their currently. Refer three friends and you massage bed, some gently fluttering new treatments for bacteria/ get a free foot massage, or refer five candles (which I later found out infections etc and they said that they friends and get a free back massage. weren’t real), an essential oil diffuser, are simply selling the products right It’s definitely worth the premium to and a little hot towel box. now. But they do offer consultations become a regular here, but be sure along with the pedicure to tell you to make an appointment in advance. After I hopped up on the table, what your feet might need. They’re usually too full for walk-ins. which came with the usual hole The 60-minute massage cost Rs. OZO Kandy Sri Lanka • No. 31, Saranankara Mawatha | T +94 81 203 0700 | www.ozohotels.com THE OLDEST SEA FOOD RESTAURANT IN COLOMBO HAS BEEN REVAMPED 15 Gardiner Mw, Colombo 2 | 112 326915 | seafishcolombo.com

present this page

for 10% off

Seating for

www.ozohotels.com 50 pax in the garden T +94 81 203 0700 |

No 1 Pub Chain in Sri Lanka • No. 31, Saranankara Mawatha | OZO Kandy Sri Lanka

/MachangPubs 26

10 Yummy Things You Can Do With Marmite

BY AISHA PART ONE Everyone knows that little black 3. Manioc Chips tub. You either love it or hate it – 1. Patties We’ve tried this before, and this there’s no in-between. This is something you can easily is one of our favourites because get at your local bakery or kadé. of how beautifully simple and Luckily for the guys over at Drizzle a bit of Marmite on top of uncomplicated it is. Use the Marmite SL (who wanted us the pattie (we used a spoon, and Marmite as a dip. As always, to try out a bunch of Marmitey it did the job well), and give your don’t scoop it out plentifully. goodies), we at YAMU aren’t regular snack a much stronger Use the dip sparingly. Another fussy and we like our food, re- flavour. This works well with creative dip is the ‘tomamite’ — a gardless of whether there’s a slight drizzle — we’d advise concoction of tomato sauce and Marmite in it or not. Taking that against using a lot of Marmite, marmite, which has an interest- into account, we crashed a food- because the taste can be a bit ing sweet and tangy flavour to it. tasting event (created exclu- overpowering otherwise. sively for us) where we sampled 4. Parippu Vadai about 15 different items made 2. Pizza Parippu vadais go well with with or of Marmite. The pizza we tried was chicken Marmite, especially since they We liked some of them, abso- and cheese. This combo worked are nice and crispy on the out- lutely loved the others, and didn’t well. The Marmite complements side. They pair even better with like a few of them. There are ten the cheese, so we’d suggest you tomamite, as the tomatoey fla- combos we think are great to try opt for a cheesier pizza if you vour complements the dough out at home. want to try this. It’s a good way and the parippu. We’re guess- to add a twist of flavour. ing Marmite would also go well 27

10 Yummy Things You Can Do With Marmite

with isso vadais, since they are a bit of Marmite in the dough tional flavour. It goes great with thin and crunchy. We also tried itself — but the winner was the the ham and cheese. ulundu wadai, but that was a no- topping. Coated and topped off no. It was too starchy and fluffy with confectionary sugar and 7. Pol Sambol for the Marmite to work as a caramelized Marmite, the way We slathered some Marmite on good dip. sweetness and bitterness con- to the rotti (pretty much like what trasted in this cake was truly your mom may have packed you PART DEUX amazing. This was our favourite, for your school breakfasts) and and a clear winner. The beauty then sprinkled some Marmite-in- In this part, we focus mainly on of this creation is how little fused pol sambol on top. This is how the Marmite works when Marmite is actually needed — your regular, traditional pol sam- it’s used a part of the dish, in- just a spoonful added with the bol — grated coconut, chillies, stead of as a dip. Some of these sugar while it is caramelising. chilli powder and onions mixed creations really surprised us together — with like a teaspoon with how good they were. Have 6. Burger of Marmite mixed in instead of you ever heard of caramelized This is really easy to make, given salt. I personally think it could Marmite? No? Well, today you that you can easily grab all the have used more salt, but Bhagya will. We’re going to start off with ingredients off a store shelf. This felt it was just right. what our favourite. one had chicken ham, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and, obviously, 8. Chicken Curry 5. Toffee Cake the burger-bun. Just layer them This was really really good — a This cake was a stunner. It was all on top of the other, and apply definite win. We loved it, and light, buttery, and fluffy, and had the Marmite on the bun for addi- definitely recommend a dash of 28

Marmite to spike your everyday This is a good combo, and adds BONUS — PART 3 chicken curry. It’s really sim- an indescribable (how would ple to make as well. Cook your you really go about describing As dessert, Marmite goes sur- regular Lankan chicken curry, how Marmite tastes?) flavour to prisingly well with dark choco- and once you switch the stove the overall dish late. off, just add a tablespoon of Marmite into the gravy and give 10. Vinaigrette Also, let us save you the trouble it a good stir. Take half a cup of white vinegar, and give you a hint as to what 1 1/2 teaspoons of Marmite, 1 not to try it with (in our very per- 9. Chicken Kottu teaspoon of Dijon Mustard, and sonal opinion): Ulundhu vadai, Add a dash of Marmite to your a teaspoon of honey and whisk pasta and peanut butter. This is regular toss-up of godamba rot- them all together to create this of course highly subjective, and We specialize in ti, stir-fried veggies and meats. tangy, zesty little dip. you can most certainly try it out with them and let us know if you like it. Catering for all Meanwhile, the recipes for the Toffee Cake, the Kottu, and the Occassions... other stuff we’ve approved of can be found here: fb.com/ MarmiteSL.

Happy cooking!

42 HORTON PLACE, COLOMBO 7 We specialize in Catering for all Occassions...

42 HORTON PLACE, COLOMBO 7 www.facebook.com/IndianSummerLK Skrumptious 3 Sulaiman Terrace, Colombo 5 | 777 009 995

BY AISHA sonal preference would play a Brownie (Rs. 450) had an inter- Skrumptious does a vast range huge role in which flavours you’d esting salty twist to it ‘cause of of brownies including those with like, we think they do a pretty the buttercookie they had used minty, cheesy, and peanut-but- good job. as the base. The brownie in itself tery twists. Like Indi says, they’ve was very fudgy and very satisfy- Indi tried the mint ing, with swirls of peanut but- swirl brownie (Rs. ter mixed in. The peanut butter 1,100) that was and cookie complemented each quite different from other, and overall, this was a very the usual. He said it smooth combination. tasted like mint and it was refreshing The Cream-cheese Brownie with the sweetness with comes with a thick layer of the chocolate. of creamed cheese, also very The brownie itself smooth. The textures didn’t jar was gooey and soft. as the brownies are thick and He prefered this to a gooey in itself, and though the regular brownie, but creamed cheese is of a slightly that’s because he lighter texture, it blended in with doesn’t like choco- the brownie. late much. He said got the art of making brownies it reminded him of the Andes Their portions are generous. down to a science, and they’re choco mints he had as a kid. If you’re having it in-house, it pretty consistent whenever we comes with a serving of whipped tried them out. While your per- Their Peanut-butter Cookie cream and fresh strawberries.