SECRET SPICE
O TAMA CAREY
The Sydney-based chef talks street snacks, hit dishes and the key to authentic Sri Lankan cooking
If you’ve never tried Sri Lankan food before, what would be your introduction dish? I would probably start someone off with a pan roll, as it is a delightful deep-fried morsel. Pan rolls are a street snack or short eat and are made of a spicy filling, wrapped in a crepe, crumbed and deep fried. It’s basically Sri Lanka’s answer to the spring roll (as the chiko roll is in Australia).
Lankan Filling Station has made the hopper a hero. How did you know it would be such a hit? Hoppers were the reason Lankan Filling Station began. I still remember the first one I ate – I couldn’t believe how delicious they were, and they look amazing. A beautiful bowl-shaped pancake with delicate, crisp latticed edges and a soft pillowy heart. What’s not to love?
The secret to Sri Lankan food might be in the prep and chopping — any tips to shortcut prep time? With all of the chopping, roasting and pounding of spices, Sri Lankan cooking is a little labour-intensive,
