Kaya comes from the term "thick coconut milk" and is characteristic of this style of curry. The spices are freshly roasted and ground for a lovely flavour, and the coconut milk adds a gentle sweetness to the spice. Mutton was held in high regard in the community as a sign of prosperity and hospitality. It was usually prepared for honoured guests and for family get-togethers. Coconut was used more for balance, to smooth out the heat from the pepper and chillies, and as a count

Some recipes come from the dessert, and this is one of them. The recipe is about a few ingredients and is cooked slowly to extract flavour and nourishment. Lentils form the core of this soup, slow-cooked until they retain a lovely bite, and spinach is added for colour and nourishment. The magic in the soup is the topping of coriander and garlic (taklia), which adds a pop and wonderful flavour. The soup is filling, and the slow cooking allows the community ot travellers to com

Sometimes, a curry is a story, a piece of history, and so much more than a beautiful dish. To appreciate this curry, we need to understand Nuwara Eliya. Nuwara Eliya is about 1500 meters above sea level, and on the slopes of the mountains. It is cool, it has a thick forest densely populated by elephants, and it is beautiful. It was part of the Kandian Kingdom and was later discovered by the English, who turned it into a hill station retreat for the elite. In the 1850s, it was