Spice of life in Sri Lanka

FOR many people getting out the kitchen for a couple of weeks is the sweetest part of a holiday — well away from the tyranny of having to cook every day. Of course, I love eating out but I also love to cook particularly when I am in a place where the food and culture is different.

I’m intrigued by food markets and always seem to gravitate towards the nearest one wherever I wander. I particularly love to learn about strange-looking ingredients and plague stall holders with questions, desperately searching around for someone with a few words of English to translate and give me cooking instructions on how to prepare and cook unfamiliar produce. On a recent trip to Sri Lanka I found a soul-sister in Skye Gyngell who cooks such beautiful food at Petersham Nurseries Café in Richmond. She had been in Galle for the Literary Festival and stayed on for a few days. We were guests at the Beach House near Tangella. It’s right on a coconut palm-edged beach with waves lapping gently while you to sleep.

I woke early on the first morning and strolled out into the beach to find local fishermen hauling in their coconut string nets from the shore — the whole procedure takes about an hour and half. First, the narrow Orru boat, having returned after a nights fishing, sails as close to the shore as possible. Two of the locals swim out and catch the ropes at the two sides of the net. They gradually pull the ropes inching the net in a little further with each new wave.