Sri Lanka Part Two - Living Like a Local and Beetroot Curry Recipe
After my initial trip to Sri Lanka, I was desperate to return and spent my days dreaming of those golden beaches and palm trees. I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity to return and work for the organisation, SLV.Global, with whom I had previously volunteered. So in April 2014, I headed back to my second home; this time for 9 months rather than a mere 3!
My week days were spent working but, when you're doing it in a tropical country and surrounded by an incredible team, it's not all bad. It was probably one of the most challenging times of my life so far but I gained so many new experiences and skills. At the weekends I had the opportunity to enjoy the beauty of Sri Lanka. I often stayed local, as I was on call, and would head to a hotel in Colombo and lounge by the pool. On the occasions we did venture further afield, I'd head off with other members of staff and explore new parts of the country I'd not yet seen. From paddle boarding in Kalpitiya, to snorkelling and sunset yoga in Trincomalee, we certainly got around.
As I'd planned to be away from home for so long my brother and his girlfriend arranged to have their holiday in Sri Lanka. It was perfect timing, landing right in the middle of my time away and it was so good to see them. We got to spend a couple of long weekends enjoying the beaches, going for afternoon tea and having one too many cocktails! The rest of the time I'd packed them off, itinerary in hand, to go exploring while I headed back to work.
One thing I tried to do this time round was stay active and healthy. It's difficult when you're travelling but as I was going to be spending almost a year living and working abroad, I couldn't treat it as a holiday, it was my life. When it's 35 degrees and you're sweating buckets already finding the motivation to work out and not pass out from dehydration can be tough. I found home workouts and yoga really worked for me. I downloaded a yoga app which took me through various different routines, depending on what I wanted to achieve. It didn't require any equipment and sometimes I only had a spare 15-20 minutes so it fitted perfectly into my busy schedule during the week.
My love for Sri Lankan curry remained strong (even after eating it twice a day for 9 months!). My favourite thing about food in Sri Lanka is how you get to have a bit of everything for each meal. You don't just get to enjoy one curry but often 3 or 4 different ones, I think that's why I never got bored of it! I wanted to share another of my favourite recipes, beetroot curry, with you so you can have this along with your dahl. The same recipe can be adapted for various other vegetables as well, so if you're not a beetroot fan, carrots and green beans work too. I hope you enjoy!
Sri Lankan Beetroot Curry Recipe
Ingredients
500g raw beetroot
1/2 onion
1 tin coconut milk
2 green chillies
1 large cinnamon stick
4-5 curry leaves
3 garlic cloves
1/4 tsp tumeric
1tsp salt
1/4 tsp mustard powder
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
1/4 tsp chicken stock powder
Method
- Peel and wash the beetroot
- Cut the beetroot in half and slice thinly. Add to a saucepan
- Chopped the garlic and onion into small pieces and add to the pan
- Keep the chilli whole, putting a single slice down the length of the chilli and add the pan
- Break the cinnamon stick into chunks and add to the pan along with the curry leaves
- Add the spices and mix well
- Pour the coconut milk over the mixture and stir
- Cook on a medium heat for 25-30 minutes until the beetroot is soft but still has a slight crunch
- Serve and enjoy!
