Dish It Out: Nelum Haththella

Dec 24 2020.

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Editor of the Brides of Sri Lanka magazine, Nelum is also a well-known foodie. Her page @foodandtravelescapades always show us the most drool-worthy food. This week on Dish it Out, Nelum takes our Q&A! 
 
 
1. It’s the Christmas season – your go-to drink?
- Wine, whether it’s the season or not! But I do love an eggnog or mulled wine here and there.
 
2. What does your Christmas table look like?
- For Breakfast a mix of Continental and English with Mimosas, Sri Lankan for Lunch and Western/European for Dinner. For the last 18 years of marriage, there’s been a repetitive dish on our table – Stuffed Roast Chicken, which is actually my mother-in-law’s recipe which my husband enjoyed, growing up. The rest include things like Roast Pork/Ham, Sautéed Vegetables, Truffle Mash/ Rosemary Potatoes, Salad or Soup, followed by traditional Christmas Pudding for dessert. 
 
3. What Christmas song is on repeat in the kitchen?
- Santa baby!
 
4. What’s your ritual when you are cooking? 
1. Jotting down the planned menu on my phone’s Reminder App
2. Prepping the ingredients according to that
3. Playing a song on iTunes (according to my mood)
4. Pouring myself a glass of wine (a Torres Vina Esmeralda most often)
5. And Action!
 
5. What ingredient is underrated? 
- Star anise. Such a powerful ingredient that never gets the limelight it deserves.
 
6. What was your favourite childhood meal? 
- The Sunday Special – Pork curry, Kos Mallum, Cucumber Salad, Fried Dry Red Chilli & Papadam.
 
7. If you had Rs. 500, what meal would you make with it? 
- Tempered Dhal Curry, Tempered Mackerel, Fried Runny Egg, Pol Sambol and Roast Paan.
 
 
8. You host a lot of people for dinners and lunches, who would be your dream dinner-party guests? 
- Funny, I’ve been thinking about this for a while now! It would be Chef Shenal from Shangri-La, Chef Kazi (formerly from Hilton Colombo, now at Hilton Singapore), Koluu Ranawake, Chef Publis, Jamie Oliver and Wolfgang Puck.
 
9. What’s the most adventurous food you’ve eaten? 
Frog legs in Paris, crocodile in Thailand, escargot in Paris, Kangaroo in Australia… yeah, I’ve had my share! 
 
10. Your favourite odd food pairing?
- The most recent discovery is KFC with Pol Sambol and Steaming hot white Rice
 
11. What’s a dish you’d love to relive for the first time?
Kobe Beef Steak – it’s love at first bite!
 
12. Your first memory of cooking?
- Making dhal curry, brinjal curry (or whatever it was) and fried egg for my mother because she was very ill that day and there was absolutely no one at home except the two of us. She just couldn’t get out of bed, and she was in tears when she saw the 9-year-old me walking towards her with the plate of rice.
 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Panchali Illankoon

Law Graduate, food and travel enthusiast and full time dog mom..

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