Friday, January 15, 2010

Travel: Sri Lanka: Colombo Breakfast - Hoppers!



Jet lagged, after flying over the Pacific and arriving in Colombo, Sri Lanka at 2am, we
slept for a few hours at the Colonial Galle Face Hotel by Indian Ocean.

Much surprised, when we sat down for breakfast, we immediately got an
eye opener, as we were brought Hoppers with Fish Curry by a young waiter in a colorful sarong.

Hoppers are made from a fermented batter of rice flour, coconut milk and a dash of palm toddy, which lends a sour flavor and fermentation ability. If toddy is not available, yeast is often used. The batter is left to rise, then cooked in a hemispherical wok-like pan.

According to my Indonesian office manager, Leili, there are many types of hoppers including egg, milk and even sweeter varieties, originally introduced by the Dutch during Sri Lanka's trade with Indonesia.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Travel: Sri Lanka: Lizards, Beaches & Tea!


When my sweetheart and I were looking through some travel books and trying to decide which Asian country we should visit that we hadn't been to, we spotted Sri Lanka (Ceylon), located off the Indian Ocean and about the size of Virginia. 

Being an aficionado of tea, I was fascinated by the abundance of fauna, lush tropical climate and rich culture of this island. Sri Lanka’s landscapes range from wild jungles, endless untouched beaches to immaculately manicured tea plantations. The food and cultural influences of this precious gem-laden island from Arab, Portuguese, Dutch and British settlers was another motivating factor for my visit.

For the next several blog posts, I will be sharing some exciting traveling tips, traditional recipes and pictures of my recent trip to Sri Lanka. Keep checking back for updates!

photoon the road to Kandy
Tea Plucker on Plantation & Banana Bushels