Apr 20 2023.
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How do our food experts cook and eat? This week, food blogger and reviewer Vishvi of @platedonred and @malpapadum takes our Q&A!
What started your passion for food?
I guess, home. My mom’s side is from the Down South, and my dad’s side is from Ratnapura, so I’ve had the pleasure of growing up with the best of both.
What kicked off your food blog – Plated on Red?
I got married about 2 ½ years back, and I couldn’t even make tea back then. So since day one, my kitchen was my place of experiments. As I continue to cook, I realised that my palate is improving, which made me confident about the food I was making and I wanted to document that journey on a digital platform.
The concept of consistently plating your food on something red is very unique, what pushed you to keep up with it?
Thank you. I eat on a red plate, and I have always had the habit of taking pictures of the food I eat. One time I went through my phone gallery and realised how good that red plate theme looks in a grid. Since then, I’ve been taking pictures from the same angle, and I try to be creative as much as I can. It has certainly added a unique character to it.
What was your favourite childhood meal?
White Rice, Dal Curry, Pol Sambol, Deep-fried Keeramin Dry Fish and Wade combination that my dad would make when my mom needs a break from the kitchen. While I was a picky eater growing up, I loved my mom’s food; she always made sure to prepare some nutritious, well-balanced, healthy meals, while my dad’s sole focus was on letting us eat to our heart’s content without having to worry too much about nutrients. I still do make it, at least versions of it from time to time.
Dead or alive, who would be your dream dinner-party guests to cook for?
Melissa Leong, of course! Man, I wanna make a lovely Sri Lankan feast for her!
What’s something you love to eat but wouldn’t bother to make?
Japanese food. From ramen and yakitori to sushi and katsu, I absolutely love Japanese cuisine, especially when they are not fusionised. I feel like ensuring their authenticity of them is a little hard in a normal Sri Lankan kitchen at home, because we don’t always get access to the right ingredients.
What’s a fool-proof recipe on your page you’d recommend to anyone trying your recipes for the first time?
There are 3, actually. My Bread Pudding, Butterscotch Pudding and the Biriyani.
It’s your last day on earth, where are you?
At home, surrounded by my favourite family and friends, eating either some properly made lamprais, or a combination of yellow rice, black pork curry, boiled jackfruit, dal curry and pol sambol.
Your favourite comfort food?
Dumplings. The worst thing about dumplings is that there is never enough.
You’ve travelled a lot. What’s the most adventurous/exotic food you’ve eaten?
I was recently in Salalah, Oman and had the opportunity to try Camel meat, from a traditional, streetside eatery. While dining in a traditional setup - an indoor tent, decorated with beautiful Arabic mattresses and floor pillows was a unique experience, the camel meat itself was kinda too gamey for my taste.
You are also a food reviewer on your other blog @malpapadam; what attracts you to a restaurant and what can a restaurant do to really impress you?
I was a professional food reviewer for about 6 years, and absolutely loved doing it, so I continued that habit through my personal handle. I’m a coffee person and a reader, so if there is a place that offers good coffee with the ambience to read, there is a pretty good chance that you’d find me there. Aside from that, I like visiting places that feel like home, especially with good service and of course, good food and drinks to boot. Those are the places I always return to.
What’s a dish you want to explore in the future?
The San Sebastián Cheesecake in Turkey. It looks so luscious and creamy! Been watching a lot of TikToks about it and now it’s all I can think about.
Your favourite odd food pairing?
Vanilla ice cream and soy sauce. It surprisingly creates a nice sweet and salty flavour profile.
What’s the trick to making good content?
I think having a passion for it plays a big role there. When it’s something you’re passionate about, the care and effort for it come in naturally.
What’s a dish you’d love to relive for the first time?
My first, authentic Hyderabadi Biriyani experience from Paradise Biriyani, Hyderabad. I travelled through India for about a month and visited the state of Hyderabad just for its famous biriyani. That Mutton Biriyani wasn’t like any other biriyani I’ve had before. It has set the bar so high for me now.
Do the cooking or have someone cook for you?
I don’t mind both. What I don’t like is doing the dishes, and yet I do it because I’m a little bit Monica-like.
What’s one restaurant that has never failed you?
Giovanni’s for sure. I have been visiting them since 2015 when they were this little establishment with just a few tables and chairs. Quite happy to see how they have grown. I make sure to visit them at least once a fortnight.
For food/cooking inspiration, you always go to _____?
For Sri Lankan cuisines, it’s @savisquishles on Instagram. I’m amazed by how she takes our cuisine to the next level. @hungrylankan is my one-stop for Sri Lankan short eats, and @preppykitchen for more baking inspiration.
1 Comments
Pan Cheng says:
Apr 20, 2023 at 04:54 pmI used to buy & support Ceylon : Lipton : Yellow Label Tea : 450 gram Tea Leaves in Hong Kong: good export quality. But due to your pathetic civil unrest - your nation defaulted : and your export got stopped. Already pathetically poor to begin with . Now further damaged yourself. Today No product on shelf at WellCome super market. Congratulation - shoot in your own foot. Customer lost! Now don't blame the world for your deeds.