Fire and Spice: The Cuisine of Sri Lanka

From Publishers Weekly
According to Sri Lankan-born Balasuriya and Minneapolis Star and Tribune writer Winegar, only one Sri Lankan restaurant exists in the U.S.--the Sri Lanka Curry House in Minneapolis, co-owned and managed by Balasuriya. So to sample the "fiery, aromatic and vivid" food of the island once known as Ceylon, you will most likely have to cook it. This book is a good introduction to a little-known cuisine. Historical and cultural background information relates the diverse influences--Indian, Arabic, Malaysian, Portuguese, Dutch, British--on this early center of maritime commerce and its cookery. Recipes range from soups, breads, curries and condiments familiar to any Indian-food fancier to indigenous specialties, such as the pancake-like hopper, and Americanized hybrids of questionable appeal ("Hellaciously Hot Sloppy Joes," "Potato Salad with a Kick"). Dishes are simple to prepare, if you've got frickadels (deep-fried meatballs), jaggery (palm sap sweetener) and the like on hand. If you go too far in your taste for authenticity, there is even a note on how to cool an inflamed mouth (by drinking tea, beer, tomato juice or lemonade). A glossary and a list of mail-order sources are appended. Illustrated. Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
Even adventurous eaters are unlikely to have tasted Sri Lankan cooking, which resembles Indian and Thai cuisine but is still quite different. Ingredients like chilies, curry, ginger, lemongrass, and coriander make for some hot and spicy dishes; coconut and coconut milk provide a cooling contrast. The authors, a Sri Lankan chef and a food writer, include background both on the country's culture and cuisine, a detailed glossary of ingredients, and a good sampling of unintimidating but unusual recipes. A unique work, for most collections.-- JSCopyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.


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