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Published - December 11, 2024 05:20 pm IST
When one thinks of Sri Lankan cuisine, familiar staples like sambol, string hoppers, fish cutlets, crab, and coconut-rich gravies come to mind. However, Jayaflava: A Celebration of Food, Flavour, and Recipes from Sri Lanka by Tasha Marikkar, published by Harper Collins, showcases a broader culinary spectrum.
So what exactly is Jayaflava? Tasha shares, “I was thinking of a name and had many technically correct, but boring options. My friend Felix Buxton (Basement Jaxx) visited me in Sri Lanka and suggested playing around with Jayaweva (victory in Sinhalese). Since I live between the UK and Sri Lanka, I blended this with Craig David’s song ‘What’s Your Flava’ for Jayaflava .”
Tasha, with her Ceylon Moor-Colombo Chetty and Sinhalese roots, describes herself as a true “ achcharu” (a Sri Lankan mixed pickle).
“My parents worked, so I watched a lot of television which was mostly cooking shows, and would try to recreate those dishes later. However, my journey with cooking Sri Lankan food began at university. In the UK, I craved colour in my meals. The food was beige— potatoes, bread, meat. My mother always said meals should have the colours of the rainbow, so I began cooking,” she recalls.
With over 100 recipes, Jayaflava doubles as a beginners guide. It opens with a section on Sri Lanka’s diverse communities — Sinhalese, Ceylon Moors, Tamils, Malays, and more — followed by essentials for cooking Sri Lankan food, including the omnipresent coconut. “Before the dishes, I included recipes for spice and masala powders. In the UK, Sri Lankan blends weren’t available, so I made them from scratch. These blends can make or break a recipe,” explains Tasha.
The recipes begin with the short eats section — snacks integral to daily lifewhich includes fish cutlets and devilled chicken, along with Tasha’s favourite childhood treat, crocodile buns. The book then explores soups and kandas (porridge), rice and curry pullers, sambols, seafood, vegetables, meats, desserts, and drinks.
“When I realised that cooking Sri Lankan food daily could become a cookbook, I tapped into my aunty network, known for the best recipes. I also approached friends whose parents were excellent cooks. The process started in 2015 and gained momentum in 2019 when I partnered with the publisher. After four years and many trials, the cookbook came to life,” she says.
Tasha, who worked as an advertiser in the UK, often turned to cooking for stress relief. Her advertising background, she says, helped shape the book. “I thought of it as a branding initiative for Sri Lanka, ” she adds.
In addition to recipes, Jayaflava includes sample menus, personal stories, and even lyrics from the Baila song ‘Piti Kotapan’ by Sunil Perera and the Gypsies. The book features vibrant art and photos — some from Tasha’s childhood, others of dishes, all captured by Tasha herself. “I made each dish five to six times,” she notes. The cover, painted by Tasha, depicts quintessential Sri Lankan items. “From wax matches to vegetables, they’re all very Sri Lankan — especially the tinned fish. It’s funny that, despite having the ocean, we love tinned fish,” she laughs.
Among the popular recipes, Tasha highlights her fool-proof chicken biryani. “While many recipes are quintessentially Sri Lankan, I edited the book to include simple options. I’m working on a part two with more complex recipes. One of my favourites is the red chicken curry. For beginners, I recommend pol sambol. Fry an egg, butter a slice of toast, layer it with pol sambol , and take a bite. It’s my regular breakfast and a great way to start the day. Give it a try!”
food / The Hindu MetroPlus / books and literature
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