A Taste of Serendib [Paperback]

Mary Anne Mohanraj (Author), Rachel Hartman (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 2003

Serendib: one of the many names for Sri Lanka, Ceylon, Taprobane -- an island nation south of India, rich in tea and spices, vegetables, fruit and fish, possessing a complex multicultural cuisine. A Taste of Serendib is a collection of unexpected, delightful, fortunate flavors, forty-five recipes to tantalize your tastebuds and satisfy your stomach.

Editorial Reviews

From the Author

Sri Lankan Tamil cooking is oriented around meat and fish; vegetable dishes are primarily meant to accompany a central meat dish. But many of the meat dishes here do work fine with vegetarian substitutes, such as seitan, tofu, and meat-simulators (such as the "Ground Meatless" from Morningstar Farms or the "Diced Chik" from Worthington). Also, if you freeze tofu, then thaw it and break it into pieces, it gives it a chewy texture; you can also deep-fry it, which is delicious but does make it soak up quite a lot of fat. An alternative to deep frying is to cut the tofu into rectangles or squares, lay them in an oiled pan in a single layer, then spray them lightly with spray oil and bake until golden brown. And of course, adding lentils or chickpeas to any vegetable dish is a good way to get added protein. They should work particularly well in the potato curry, for example.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Spicy Potato Curry (30 min. -- serves 4)

This is the vegetable dish I make most often (not actually a vegetable, I know), and I'm pretty sure it's Kevin's favorite. He eats it straight up in a bowl with a fork--but he's bolder than me.

3 medium yellow onions, chopped

3 T vegetable oil

1/4 t. black mustard seed

1/4 t. cumin seed

1-2 T (or more to taste) red chili powder

3 medium baking potatoes, peeled and cubed

3 T ketchup

1 rounded t. salt

1/2 c. milk, optional

1. Saute onions in oil on high with mustard seed and cumin seed until onions are golden/translucent (not brown). Add chili powder and cook 1 minute, until you start to cough. Immediately add potatoes, ketchup, and salt.

2. Lower heat to medium and add enough water so the potatoes don't burn (enough to cover usually works well). Cover and cook, stirring periodically, until potatoes are cooked through, about 20 minutes.

3. Remove lid and simmer off any excess water; the resulting curry sauce should be fairly thick, so that the potatoes are coated with sauce, rather than swimming in liquid. Add milk, if desired, to thicken sauce and mellow spice level; stir until well-blended. Serve hot.

Product Details

• Paperback: 112 pages
• Publisher: Lethe Press (December 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1590211006
• ISBN-13: 978-1590211007
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #667,783 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Mary Anne Mohanraj received her Ph.D. from the University of Utah, specializing in post-colonial literature and creative writing. She is the author of several books, including her dissertation novel, BODIES IN MOTION, an exploration of sexuality, marriage, and Sri Lankan/American immigrant concerns. Her academic research includes an exploration of black masculinity in the work of horror writer Tananarive Due, and an bio-bibliography on Due published in Richard Bleiler's SUPERNATURAL FICTION WRITERS. She currently serves as a referee for FOUNDATION, THE INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF SCIENCE FICTION, and as Director of both the SPECULATIVE LITERATURE FOUNDATION (www.speculativeliterature.org) and of DESILIT (www.desilit.org). Mohanraj has recently received an Illinois Arts Council fellowship, a Neff fellowship in English, a Steffenson-Canon fellowship in the Humanities, and the Scowcroft Prize for Fiction. She lives in Chicago and is currently writing a follow-up novel to BODIES IN MOTION, tentatively titled THE ARRANGEMENT.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sri Lankan Home Cooking, January 12, 2004

By 

A. Latner (Houston, TX United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A Taste of Serendib (Paperback)

I love this pretty little cookbook. It has tasty recipes that are mostly easy to prepare, with a finite number of ingredients that are easy to keep on hand, so it's more home cooking than elaborate restaurant fare. This is a sort of exotic food that you can get to know while having a busy life. And the book tells you a lot about Sri Lankan ingredients, food preparation and the role of these foods in home life. It's very new but already one of my favorite cookbooks.

6 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great place to begin..., January 16, 2004

By 

james foster (tallahassee, florida United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Taste of Serendib (Paperback)

This book is a great place to begin for those of us who are not familiar with Sri Lankan food. The introduction explains the basics and the recipes are clear, and if all else fails there is a link to the authors web page for questions.

4 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars So, so, March 24, 2008

By 

J. Jansen (Australia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A Taste of Serendib (Paperback)

The dishes in this volume are a bit heavier and more Indian oriented. I prefer the less heavy southern Sri Lankan recipies. For those who prefer Indian food, the recipies are good and give an authentic taste.