Traditional Food & Beverages of Sri Lanka

Traditional Food & Beverages of Sri Lanka ll living beings live by food. The staple food of the Sri Lankan Prof. A. Nimal F. Perera ("Sabbesaththa aharatthika") is rice. Rice is obtained from the AIn. other words, food is paddy plant. Paddy was also known A. Nimhani K. Perera as "salee* in the past. Paddy essential for our existence. Wayamba University of included two broad categories; "Maa Moreover, the great sages of ancient Sri Lanka, Kutiyapitiya times [Hrishis) have declared that wee" and "EI wee". Various our disposition and qualities evidence points out that there had depend on the food that we take. been more than 1500 traditional Prof. E.R. Kalyani Perera Further, there are three categories paddy varieties. The rice prepared University of Peradeniya, of persons according to their food from these different paddy varieties Peradentya. preferences; the righteous and was diverse in taste, aroma and gentle " Sathvikas" prefer soft and their nutritional values. In addition delicious food, rough, nonchalant to rice, other grains containing sweetmeats, fish and meat. Curries and indulgent "Rajasikas" prefer carbohydrates, such as millet, ("maalu") were complementary for acidic, hot and spiced food, and the paspahun scrobicultatum ("amtf), com, lazy, less enthusiastic and less maize, barley, and eleusine coraoana the rice and hence it was known as intelligent "Thamasikas", savor ("kurakkan') were also used widely. "boJhmaaht (rice and curries). In the unclean and stale food. Green gram, cow pea, long beans, consumption of rice and curries, masurg, lentil, koJJu, and gingili were drinking of water ["bath pert) was Food and beverages and their essential capsular ["shimbf) grains also essential. Drinking water was consumption in Sri Lanka have a of the traditional food. These grains usually filtered clean water. long history and tradition. The were extensively cultivated in the Drinking water was retained in traditional Sri Lankan's did not dry lands [chena], and they were various containers or pitchers consume food solely for the commonly known as "katusard* known as "kothalaya*, "kendiya", purpose of nutrition, but also as for (coarse) food crops. "guruleththuwa", or kalaya (pot) and many therapeutic reasons. coconut shells were used as mugs Therefore, the food was consumed The main difference between the in the drinking. The portion of rice with multipurpose objectives. Due normal grains such as paddy and and curries that were taken away to this reason, those Sri Lankans the capsular *shimbi* food crops for the consumption in another were able to built giant tanks and was that the latter was richer in place was known as "bathmula" colossal sthupas, fight and prevent proteins, and therefore specially (parcel of rice). The rice served on foreign invasions, and to create a included in the diet of babies, leaves of the lotus plant, "kendo" ( prosperous country by the growing children and expecting and Makarangapeltata) plant or plantain development of agriculture. nursing mothers. was known as "bathpatha". Rice was also served in a bowl (paathraya) or Hon. Walpola Rahula Thera, in his Food habits of the traditional man a plate (thetiya). When the book "Buddhist History of Sri were determined by the chieftains were served with Lanka" has stated that Sinhalese requirements of the occasion. The "bathpatha*, it was held on a stand of the past never starved and farmer who leaves the home early known as *serukkalaya"'. Special consumed three meals per day. Rice in the morning to work in his paddy bowl used to retain gruel was was their staple food while various field or "chena" required a heavy diet known as "hambu horuwa". "Withd* other curries, green leaves, lotus containing carbohydrates, to or "maalawa" was used to drink yams (netum ala), lotus stalks (nelum maintain his energy while doing toddy and other liquor. dandu), curd [deekin), ghee [githeli, hard work, until the mid dav meal treacle and bee honey, and 'popped ("embula") is brought. Usually such Rice preparations: and sweetened rice' ["habalapethf) heavy diet was either "heel batha" were other components of the meal. 1 (rice cooked in the previous night), "Milk Rice" ["Kin bath ) had a special The monks had a separate code for "diya batha" (rice cooked in the place in the day-to-day food and food consumption. previous night mixed with onions consumption as well as in all According to the Thonigala" stone and water), "rotti" or thick porridge festive occasions. The milk used in scripture, curd [deekiri/dhee), {"thalapa') from corn or "kurakkan". this cooking was either cow's mjJk honey (miyawata), treacle (peni), or coconut milk. "Milk rice" was gingery (thila), ghee (bujnathela), salt In the past, the five types of food also known as "ksheera bhaktha", {lona) and green leaves (palahawata) ("pancha prakaara bhojaruf) were have been named as suitable food recommended for the consumption. "ksheera payaasa", "madhura for the monks. These included; rice, komupidu, payaasa'oT Vanpindu''. —— Economic Review: April/ May 2010 59 "Pesi batha" was considered as a prescribed even today to diabetic tree" in the pastr, due to the connoisseurs' special in the past patients. The rice prepared with the immense food value of and the* food and was in the menu for the royals broken parts of the corn grain was security that was provided by the and chieftains. To make "pesi batha", a very popular food in the past, and jak fruit. As much as 23 food rice was cooked and then tempered even today it is known and preparations and 6 sweetmeats together with vegetables. "Pesi consumed as "iringu rice" in certain were prepared using the jak fruit. batha" was also known as "rasa parts of the country. The rice bafha", or "mansoudhana*. The "embul preparations served at wedding Gruel Preparations batha" prepared with the sediment ceremonies were commonly known residue of spiced curry ("kaadi") was as "mogul batha", but included four Another item that had a special also similar to the "pesi batha". distinctive preparations identified place in the traditional meals was There are reports to indicate that as "kedara bathd*, "aadara batha", "kendo* (gruel). It had been called sometimes, ghee and meat of "laadara batha", and "yodara batha". as "amu" or "hambu" and sometimes peacocks were also added to the The first meal prepared at a house "kaadf in the past. Rice was the "pesi batha". "Pesi batha'' could be after a funeral was known as "mala main component in gruel consumed without any other bathd*. Rice offered to the demons preparations. With the addition of curries. The "kaadi batha" was and various evil spirits was known other items different nutritional cooked with "kaadi" and tempered as "pideni batha" or "pulutu batha", and medicinal values were obtained with ghee. Rice prepared with while what was offered to deities to suit the different requirements. broken rice grains and milk was was known as "muruthen batha". The They were used not only for their known as "hendi batha", "sunsaal rice preparation for the officials of nutritional value but also for batha" or "kadasaai bathd'. The rice chieftains was called " adukkuwa*, prevention and cure of various prepared in the previous night was Among all types of grains, ailments. Among these different consumed in the following morning "kurakkan" held a special place all gruel preparations, what was known either as "heel batha" or as "diya the time. Kurakkan flour had a very as "diya kenda", "lunu kendo" or batha" with water, onions and salt high demand and various food "hulu kenda"/ 'hulu ken" was the added. The belief was that the preparations from such flour viz. most widely used. It is mentioned nutritional value as well as the "thalapa" (thick porridge), rotd, gruel, in the literature that Arhath medicinal value was at its highest "ginipoo"and "helapa" were very Maliyadeva Thera was offered a in this "heel batha", compared to all popular. medicinal gruel ("beheth hulu other rice preparations. The kendo") prepared with the addition of 11 medicinal herbs, as a cure for medicinal value could be enhanced Tubers and Yams: by the addition of cows' milk, curd a stomach ache. When sweeteners such as ghee, honey or orange juice or buffalo milk, and due to this Various tubers, roots and yams were added, such gruel was called reason this rice preparation was were supplementary food that "rasa ulu ken". There are records to also known as "beheth batha" provided useful carbohydrates at indicate that sometimes even (medicinal rice). Curd and treacle that time. They were common in the maldive fish or meat was added to were added to the parched rice at villager's menu. During the further enhance the taste. When the bottom of the pot ("dankuda") Anuradhapura era, the most widely the juices of various green leaves to make another sweet preparation used tuber was "kidaran* were added such gruel was called called "paawaru bathd* {Amorphophallus campanulatus). In "kola kenda". They were regarded as the literary works, it has been higher in nutritional and medicinal identified as "soorana". Among the value and even today it is popular Reports indicate that the villagers traditional tubers and yams, there as a breakfast item. In literary used not only paddy grain but other were many other edible varieties works, they have been identified as dry land ("katusara") grains also in that contributed immensely to the "embul (sour) kenda" or "embul the preparation of cooked rice. They food security of the villagers. When hambu". It is mentioned that, gruel added to the diversity of food and these yams were consumed, that had sometimes been tempered with helped in the preservation of was considered as a whole meal butter or ghee to enhance the physical health of the consumers most of the time. Most widely taste. Such tempered gruel had too.

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