Last week my Tuesday morning was spent learning to prepare Kaha Bath (Yellow Rice) from scratch and my guru was celebrity chef Koluu.
From heating the oil just right to popping in the onions, garlic, curry leaves, rampei, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, mace (which I found out was essential for flavouring the Yellow Rice) and then adding the right amount of saffron powder to the chicken or vegetable stock which has been poured onto the rice, Koluu explained every detail perfectly. Even the theory of liquid covering the rice, which always confused me, is far less confusing now.  A bit of fresh coconut milk and loads of pepper and the right cooking time resulted in the best kaha bath I had tasted. A good yellow rice can be eaten on it's own and this was definitely one!

I picked up just one recipe as I needed to get back to work after the experience but usually, he guides you through the preparation of an entire meal including a vegetable, meat item and salad. This one-of-a-kind experience is available exclusively through Trekurious.

Aside from learning to cook Sri Lankan curries, an aspect of the experience is also sitting down with Koluu, having a chat and enjoying the meal you’ve just prepared. The atmosphere at his breezy home in Wellawatte on a warm day makes you forget, for a moment that you are in fact right in the middle of the hustle and bustle of Colombo. It is an experience that you should definitely be a part of.

Koluu has adjusted his recipes to suit the foreign palette. “Europeans don’t like too much gravy,” Koluu explains adding, “They are used to a slightly moist meal.” Among the local fare he prepares is his delicious and fresh gotukola sambol which has just the perfect balance of salt and lime while the grated fresh coconut gives a slight hint of sweetness. This was prepared earlier in the day while he had also made a mixed vegetable curry, consisting of carrot, potato, beans and cauliflower. A delicious dhal curry as well as his delicious pork curry.

“The idea is to prepare the meals without making it sound and look complicated,” Koluu explains adding that he gives them alternatives to use vegetables and meats that can be purchased in their respective countries. The menu can also be adjusted according to the client. The atmosphere is casual, where you are more than welcome to come in a pair of shorts, a tee and flip flops – Ideal for sunny Colombo!

Koluu needs little introduction here in Colombo, fondly known as the High Priest of Sri Lankan curry, he has reached iconic status here by following his passion across the world in top posts in Portugal and Iraq before returning to Sri Lanka and opening his popular restaurant, Koluu’s. A string of other restaurants followed, namely, Frangipani, Tulips and Lemon Lounge and Bar. Koluu’s passion has always been maintaining the integrity of Sri Lankan food and he was the first Sri Lankan to be invited to the highly acclaimed Culinary Institute of America to present in 2013. He launched his first book My Way in 2012 as well as an easy and convenient range of ready to use spice mixes, ‘Spice it Up!’ which came out last year.

The Sri Lankan Cookery Master Class with Celebrity Chef Koluu, guides you through the art of making your own coconut milk from scratch, dry roasting spices and balancing flavours of authentic Sri Lankan curry while he also welcomes you to chop, grind, pound and sauté your way through an aromatic and mouth watering Sri Lankan meal. So check out Trekurious for further details on how you can be part of Koluu’s Master Class.

By Natasha Fernandopulle

Pics by Kanishke Ganewatte