How do our food experts cook and eat? This week, food blogger Hashini of @homeyfoodies – well known for her creative obento boxes, takes our Q&A! 

What do you love about cooking?
Cooking is an art. It’s my hobby and I gain a lot of pleasure from cooking. The more you put your heart and self into cooking, it’s always a success. I’m a very satisfied and happy person with my cooking.

What Sri Lankan ingredient do you really miss that you don’t have access to?
Polos and Mukunuwenna

What’s a dish you’d love to relive for the first time?
Jalapeño bagel. I always get it when I go to the coffee shop.

Do you see yourself opening a restaurant?
I would like to open up a restaurant which offers rice and curry cooked and served hot and fresh in clay pots like in a village near a river. I would love to name it ‘Rosige Bath Kade’ since Rosi is my nickname and everyone close to me has called me that since I was a child!

Your favourite childhood meal?
Rice and beetroot with fried chicken… I still love it!

You’re famous for your creative lunchboxes! What started it all?
Before my eldest daughter Natari started kindergarten, I was preparing lunchboxes just to practise and get some knowledge. We are citizens in Japan and the Japanese moms here are highly skilled and creative in making Obento (lunch box). I put my heart and soul into making this beautiful obento. I’m so fond of making it and decorating it daily. My kids are my judge panel. My scores for the obento boxes change according to my creativity. Now it has become a hobby. Preparing obento boxes is a way to bond with my kids.

Any cooking habits?
When I’m cooking rice, I’m in the habit of touching the rice pot/ rice cooker thrice and worshipping. I got that great habit from my Amma. The idea behind this is to show our gratitude to all the farmers who worked hard in the paddy fields.

Your favourite food on a bad day?
Prawns – but sadly, I’ve recently discovered I might be a little allergic to it. I still eat prawns on and off though!

What would you do if you knew you could not fail?
Definitely cooking. It’s my favourite thing to do. I never feel that it will become a failure.

What do you love about cooking?
Cooking is an art. It’s my hobby and I gain a lot of pleasure from cooking. The more you put your heart and self into cooking, it’s always a success. I’m a very satisfied and happy person with my cooking.

When you are back in Sri Lanka the first restaurant you'd eat at?
Almas Biriyani!

It’s your last day on earth, what are you eating?
It’s undoubtedly the Uswatte Onion Star Tipi Tip! When anyone asks me about my favourite food, that’s what always pops into my head.

Your favourite odd food pairing?
My favourite way of eating milk rice is with butter cake. It’s mouth-watering even when I’m thinking of it now.

A celebrity chef you would swear by?
Amma is my celebrity chef, all her dishes are great. Apart from her, I like former Chef Lloyd Opatha who was at Galadari Hotel. Even to this day, I follow his recipe to make dosa which he presented at Rasa Sarani show.

What’s a Sri Lankan dish you’ve adjusted with inspiration from the cuisine of Japan?
Making spinach like the gotukola sambole with freshly grated coconut. It's yummy.

Whip up a meal to impress someone?
Saffron rice, eggplant moju, black chicken curry, cashew nut curry and cutlets. Anyone would love the combination of these dishes.