The Lankan Leap

To give Puneites a flavour of Sri Lankan food at Sen5es,Oakwood Premier,the chef says he will serve authentic Sri Lankan specialities such as Fish Roe and Polos Badum,Kaberanka,Moung Karali,Jackfruit and Gotukola White Curry and Asmi,among others. “My recipes are interesting yet simple and don’t require much time,” says Duminda,who has become quite the celebrity icon in his home country. With a strong dislike towards using oil and artificial flavouring in his dishes,the chef says he focuses on creating recipes that have nutritive value. Inspired by his grandmother’s style,he likes to make all the spices and pastes himself to preserves the herbal value of the ingredients. He says a part of the mission is to bring a revolution in the world of Sri Lankan cooking.

With 20 years of experience as a chef,Duminday says he has travelled across the globe,exploring and making new flavours. Familiar with the Western food culture,he loves to blend the combination of flvaours from the East and West in his delicacies. One of his personal favourites – Fried Brinjal Salad – is a sample of this mix. “It is an easy-to-make salad,ideal for dinner,absolutely lip smacking when clubbed with rice and curry,” says Duminda,who uses brinjal,onion,chillies,tomatoes and turmeric powder as the core ingredients in the dish.

Ambul Thiyal,a classic signature Sri Lankan specialty by Duminda,is prepared using tuna and goraka,a native tamarind paste. “As for snapper,I like to make it spicy and savoury,” he says,sharing that some day he would love to experiment with Mediterranean and Italian cuisines.

With a cooking show on You Tube and a celebrity fan following in Sri Lanka,Duminda has consciously avoided opening his own restaurant because he does not want to make money out of cooking,and instead serve people wholesome dishes.