Dharshan june 2017

CHEF LIFE IN COLOMBO | JUNE 2017 | 5

WE ARE

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EIGHT DAYS IN HONG KONG

MINISTRY OF CRAB AT THE HONG KONG JOCKEY CLUB

MINISTRY OF CRAB REPRESENTS SRI LANKA AT THE

WORLD GOURMET SUMMIT 2017

KOTTU SUTRA

SRI LANKAN SOUL FOOD

CONTENTS JUNE 2017 | 5

Eight Days in Hong Kong

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Ministry of Crab Represents 24 Sri Lanka at the World Gourmet Summit 2017

Tetsuya Wakuda – My Senpai

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World Gourmet Festival 2017 28 Mumbai

We are 22

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Bon Odori – Japanese 32 Summer Festival in Sri Lanka

Kottu Sutra – Sri Lankan Soul Food

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Spice Island – The Saga of Cinnamon

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NIHONBASHI 11 Galle Face Terrace, Colombo 3 (+94 11) 232 3847 nihonbashi.lk

What’s Cooking in Dharshan’s Kitchen

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NEWS NIBBLES

ALEXANDRA & WARD AND CAFE NIHONBASHI The Promenade – Odel 5 Alexandra Place, Colombo 7 (+94 11) 471 8758

A Meaningful Vesak

Nihonbashi Appoints New MD

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The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or part in any form without the written consent of the publisher.

All material © Dharshan Munidasa and BT Options.

Design, Production and Advertising BT Options 536 R A De Mel Mawatha (Duplication Road), Colombo 3, Sri Lanka T (+94 11) 259 7991 | M (+94) 715 134 134 | F (+94 11) 259 7990 info@btoptions.com | btoptions.com

MINISTRY OF CRAB Old Dutch Hospital Bank of Ceylon Mawatha Colombo (+94 11) 234 2722, ministryofcrab.com

KAEMA SUTRA Independence Avenue, Colombo 7 (+94 11) 267 2362 kaemasutra.com

THE TUNA & THE CRAB Dutch Hospital Galle Fort (+94 91) 309 7497 thetunaandthecrab.com

We are humbled by the overwhelming demand for tables at Ministry of Crab.

For Lunch

11.30 A.M. To 1.30 P.M. 12.00 Noon To 2 P.M.

For Dinner 5.00 P.M. To 7.00 P.M. 6.00 P.M. To 8.00 P.M. 7.15 P.M. To 9.15 P.M.

1.45 P.M. To 3.30 P.M. 2.00 P.M. To 3.30 P.M.

8.30 P.M. To 10.30P.M. 9.30 P.M. Onwards

Please contact us at reservations@ministryofcrab.com as early as possible to avoid disappointment.

Open Daily

Lunch 11.30 A.M. to 3.30 P.M. | Dinner 5 P.M. to 11 P.M. Closed on Poya Days:

March 12th, April 10th, May 10th, May 11th, June 8th, July 8th, August 7th, September 5th, October 5th, November 3rd & December 3rd.

011 234 CRAB (2722) | www.ministryofcrab.com

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Dharshan Munidasa with the Six Furlong Restaurant and MoC teams

EIGHT DAYS IN HONG KONG MINISTRY OF CRAB

at The Hong Kong Jockey Club In the Equine Capital of the world, which has a rich history of horse racing dating back to the 1840s, Ministry of Crab held its longest running overseas Pop Up event.

While Hong Kong hospitality was warm and pleasant, the response to the flavours of Sri Lanka’s lagoon crab was overwhelming.

Text Shalini Canagasabey

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‘Crab Republic’, showcasing Sri Lanka’s lagoon crab

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Sha Tin Racecourse

ince the establishment of horse racing in ‘Asia’s World City’, The Hong Kong Jockey Club has maintained the city’s two racecourses, one in Happy Valley and the other in Sha Tin. Six Furlong Restaurant in the Happy Valley Clubhouse, one of Asia’s oldest membership clubs and recognised as one of its finest, caters to government, business leaders and many professionals.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club conducts several overseas guest chef promotions every year and have hosted three-star Michelin Chefs including Alain Passard and Massimo Bottura. Therefore, it was a great honour for Ministry of Crab to be invited to cook

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Caption

MoC with the lagoon crab

some of its signature dishes at the Clubhouse.

We departed to Hong Kong taking with us local ingredients to ensure greater authenticity of the dishes. The cargo included lagoon crabs, freshwater prawns, spices, Ceylon Tea concentrate and MoC merchandise including branded plates, bibs and aprons enough to cater for eight days in Hong Kong.

Upon arrival, we were met by the staff of the Six Furlong Restaurant led by Karen Kwok, Manageress and kitchen staff guided by the Executive Chef Christoph Suter.

Speaking about the performance of this team, Dharshan states, “The kitchen staff was extremely efficient. I would say due to their prior experiences with overseas chefs, they were a great help to my team”.

À LA MINISTRY OF CRAB

The menu comprised of four crab dishes, Pepper, Garlic Chilli, Curry and Baked Crab, and two freshwater prawn dishes, Garlic Chilli and Prawn Curry. Over the Pop Up’s eight days of service, the team served around 55 crabs and 30 prawn dishes per day for both lunch and dinner. This promotion was the first at the Hong Kong Jockey Club to focus solely on Sri Lankan crab and prawn dishes.

Its popularity was so overwhelming that an extra shipment of lagoon crab needed to be flown in from Sri Lanka to meet the demand.

The event was a tremendous success with guests even returning on more than one occasion and wanting to know when MoC would be back for yet another gourmet service in Hong Kong!

HONG KONG HOSPITALITY

This eight-day lunch and dinner service was the longest MoC Pop Up held overseas, which did not leave much time for leisure. We are grateful to the hospitality of the Team at The Hong Kong Jockey Club, from Steven Tan, General Manager to Maggie Chow, the Assistant Clubhouse Manager and Johhny Wong, Assistant Food and Beverages Manager as well as Karen and Chef Suter who made every effort to ensure we experienced the ‘Pearl of the Orient’ in the limited free time we had.

Beginning from the welcome dinner that featured an extensive selection of Hong Kong flavoured delicacies, moving on to Dim Sum Lunch and then to a grand farewell dinner that included dishes such

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DHARSHAN STATES,

“THE KITCHEN STAFF WAS EXTREMELY

EFFICIENT. I WOULD SAY DUE TO THEIR

PRIOR EXPERIENCES

WITH OVERSEAS CHEFS, THEY WERE A GREAT HELP TO MY TEAM”.

View from The Peak

The delicious Garlic Chilli Prawn

as Peking Duck, the team had the opportunity to relish the many tastes and flavours of Hong Kong.

A day out at the races was also on the cards with a visit to the Sha Tin Racecourse, the largest racecourse in Hong Kong. It was the first time that any of us had witnessed a live horse race; and it was interesting to see jockeys and horses in their colourful uniforms and experience the excitement of the 60,000 strong gathered at the two tracks.

We were also treated to an amazing and stunning view of the Hong Kong skyline from The Peak – a view point 428 metres above sea level. It was a breathtaking scene and made one appreciate the modern urban beauty of the city.

The team that participated in the Pop Up service was humbled by the experiences we shared over the eight days in Hong Kong. We are grateful to The Hong Kong Jockey Club for granting us the opportunity to not only showcase the flavours of Sri Lanka but also to witness HK’s cosmopolitan culture.

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TETSUYA WAKUDA My Senpai Photography Marina Bay Sands, Singapore

Marinated Botan Shrimp with Sea Urchin and Caviar, a Tetsuya original

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A private dining room at Waku Ghin restaurant

BIOGRAPHY

Chef Tetsuya Wakuda grew up in the Japanese town of Hamamatsu in the Shizuoka Prefecture. With a very limited knowledge of English, Tetsuya arrived in Australia at the age of 22, never imagining that he would one day be embraced as one of the nation’s favourite chefs.

Landing in Sydney in 1982 with nothing more than a small suitcase and a love for food, Tetsuya found his very first job as a kitchen hand at Fishwives in Surry Hills. A year later he was introduced to Sydney chef Tony Bilson, who was looking for a Japanese cook to make sushi at Kinsela’s. It was at the Kinsela’s that Chef Tetsuya learned classical French techniques, thus forming the beginnings of his distinct style of cooking, marrying the French technique along with the Japanese cuisine philosophy of using natural, seasonal flavours.

Chef Tetsuya left Kinsela’s in 1983 and in partnership with the head waiter, opened Ultimo’s.

In 1989, he went on to open his

IT WAS AT KINSELA’S THAT CHEF TETSUYA LEARNED CLASSICAL FRENCH TECHNIQUES, THUS FORMING THE BEGINNINGS OF HIS DISTINCT STYLE OF COOKING. Roasted Scampi seasoned with tea

John Dory Fish

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Tuna Carpaccio

CHEF TETSUYA WAKUDA WAS HONOURED BY THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT, FOR BEING THE FIRST EVER INTERNATIONALLY BASED CHEF TO BE RECOGNISED AS ONE OF THE COUNTRY’S MASTERS OF CUISINE.

Ikazuchi, a sake shooter with cucumber and caviar

Yamaoroshi, a wasabi based cocktail

own restaurant, Tetsuya’s, on a small site in the Sydney suburb, Rozelle. Relocating to the Central Business District of Sydney in November 2000, Chef Tetsuya refurbished the heritage-listed site at 529 Kent Street to create his dream restaurant, complete with the dining rooms overlooking an exquisite Japanese garden.

Tetsuya is proud to promote the traditions as well as iconic cuisine of Japan, and was honoured to be selected as the Japanese sake industry’s first overseas Sake Samurai (or ambassador) in 2006.

In addition to the restaurants, Tetsuya has introduced his most loved and also admired recipes to kitchen and book shelves across the entire globe with his cookbook ‘Tetsuya’, and expanding range of gourmet products.

Over the course of his career, Tetsuya has won acclaim not only in Australia, but also internationally.

Tetsuya was featured in Restaurant Magazine (London) World’s 50 Best Restaurants since the inception of the list in 2002 to 2013. He earned global recognition as one of the world’s great chefs, acknowledged by his peers, the media, and diners around the globe.

In 2010, Chef Tetsuya embarked upon an exciting culinary venture in Singapore. His restaurant, Waku Ghin, is located in the spectacular Marina Bay Sands complex, and has received the same exceptional reviews that Tetsuya continues to enjoy for his eponymous restaurant in Sydney.

In 2013 Chef Tetsuya Wakuda was honoured by the Japanese Government, for being the first ever internationally based chef to be recognised as one of the country’s Masters of Cuisine.

Biography Source - www.tetsuyas.com

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HE IS A GENTLE GIANT OF WASHOKU IN THE WORLD, HUMBLE IN DEMEANOR AND METICULOUS IN THE EXECUTION OF HIS DISHES. “The first Japanese chef book I ever purchased was Tetsuya San’s. The amazing pictures of him on boats holding fresh fish caught in the pristine waters of Australia was an inspiration as I too search for great ingredients in the same way in Sri Lanka. I have since had the utmost respect for him as a successful Chef, Restaurateur and Ambassador of Japanese Culture.

And I finally met him in 2008 at the launch of the second edition of the Miele Guide in Singapore. Ever since, I have had the pleasure of running into him at every restaurant event in Singapore and Thailand.

He is a gentle giant of Washoku in the world, humble in demeanor and meticulous in the execution of his dishes. Dining at Waku Ghin in Singapore showcases dishes that are an ode to precision, and his team delivers an amazing array of dishes every day.

The Japanese word for Mentor is ‘Senpai’ and in Japanese culture this relationship is much stronger than the western equivalent. One would have a mentor in high school then in university, when you play a sport and even in your work place.

My admiration for Tetsuya San goes deeper than this, even though I have not worked with him.

After reading his book and meeting him, I find it a privilege to know him. I am in awe of his vision, inspired by his principals. Today, I find it an honour, not only to call him my Senpai but my Sensei” – Dharshan Munidasa.

The Moscow Mule

Chef Tetsuya Wakuda and Dharshan Munidasa

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22

We are

Nihonbashi Restaurant known for being at the forefront of Sri Lanka’s culinary scene celebrates 22 years of excellence on June 28, 2017.

Photography Akiko Shoji

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ihonbashi was founded

by Dharshan Munidasa in 1995, at a time when Japanese food was not as popular in Sri Lanka as it is today. Making the most of his dual identity of Japanese – Sri Lankan heritage, the restaurant created a niche for itself by serving consistently excellent, authentic Japanese

The entrance to Nihonbashi

cuisine using locally sourced ingredients to as great an extent as possible. Nihonbashi in the following years went from strength to strength; being the first in the country to source quality Japan grade export tuna directly from the Colombo Harbour before being sent to the famous Tsukiji Market in Japan. Nihonbashi’s

Asia’s 50 Best Restaurant Awards for the year 2013, 2014 and 2015

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outlet at the Odel Department Store, Colombo 7 was opened in 2001, with the aim of introducing authentic Japanese cuisine to the mainstream, a trend which has now taken Sri Lanka by storm, paving the way for other Japanese restaurants to enter the Sri Lankan culinary landscape. Nihonbashi is also the first in the world to use an iPad for menus when it was introduced to the market in 2010, a unique concept at the time.

In a country where too often restaurants are happy to imitate a pre-existing model, Nihonbashi has always been keen on creating unique dishes with an exciting combination of flavours. The Karapincha Tempura is one such dish, it exemplifies the bridging of two cultures signified in the restaurant’s name (Nihonbashi meaning – ‘Japan Bridge’) in using Curry Leaf, a traditional Sri Lankan ingredient and frying it in a typically Japanese tempura batter. Another would be Tensabi Temaki, that blends the elements of warmth and cold with a hot, crunchy tempura battered prawn nestled against sweet wasabi-mayonnaise rice, wrapped in a charcoal toasted crisp seaweed cone.

Dharshan is well known for his attention to detail and this shows in the extensive menu that ranges from elegant small plates to ten course dinner set menus. His Japanese culture is evident in the design of the restaurant where guests can choose from a variety of dining spaces ranging from Japanese-style Tatami Rooms to banquet-style dining at the Samurai Room and outdoor dining at the Yakitori Garden. Quality and consistency are key to the success of Nihonbashi, a fact that Dharshan and Nayana Ellepola,

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The interior is a nod to Japanese culture

Olive Oil Kake Tai Cha

Maguro sashimi

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En Room

Yakitori Garden

Managing Director strive to maintain at Nihonbashi every day; from sourcing the best ingredients to ensuring that staff is well versed in the intricacies of Japanese cooking philosophies.

It is for these high standards, and its strong determination to push the envelope that Nihonbashi has garnered international recognition over the past few years, becoming one of the only two Sri Lankan restaurants that was ranked on “Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants” List, for five consecutive years since 2013. (the second being Ministry of Crab, Dharshan’s second venture).

Nihonbashi’s contribution to Japanese culture was recognised by the Japanese Government when Dharshan was presented with The Minister’s Award for Overseas Promotion of Japanese food for 2014, which is awarded annually to five individuals in the world who contribute to promoting Japanese food outside of Japan.

Gyuu No Tataki

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Maguro Nigiri

NIHONBASHI’S

CONTRIBUTION TO

JAPANESE CULTURE WAS RECOGNISED

BY THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT...

Hana Room

Kanpai Lounge

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Wine Room

IT HAS GAINED

BOTH LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION

OVER THE YEARS...

N’ sashimi

Samurai Room

Shake No Aburi Sushi

“From being a small restaurant with roughly 20 staff catering mainly to the Japanese expat community in 1995, Nihonbashi has since evolved into being recognised as one of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants for five consecutive years since 2013.

“We were able to take inspired authentic Japanese cuisine to the main stream Sri Lankans at Odel Department Store and the second branch at the JAIC Hilton (Colombo Hilton Residence) in February 2002. It has gained both local and international recognition over the years to the extent of being sought after for catering events even in neighbouring countries.” said Nayana Ellepola, MD, Nihonbashi.

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KOTTU SUTRA Sri Lankan Soul Food Text Tishani Sripathi and Photography Vishwathan Tharmakulasingham

Metal on metal: Sri Lanka’s soul food comes to life

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KOTTU TO A RHYTHM The rhythmic metalic clangs that fill the Island streets at night, is the sound of Sri Lanka’s favourite street food coming to life. Nearly every city street will have at least one eatery making ‘kottu’ all night long.

Be it for dinner or a pre-dawn snack after a night out, kottu is the ideal comfort food. Though its origins are unknown, this spicy and

filling Sri Lankan delicacy is loved and savoured by many.

Kottu is made up of parata roti, vegetables, chicken, beef or eggs.

Made on a hot metal plate with the help of two metal blades shaped to fit the hands of the “Kottu Bas” (the person making the kottu), the parata roti is chopped into strips and added to the tempered onions

and chili pieces on the hot metal plate with other flavourings, and chopped up. Vegetables, egg and meat are added in intervals.

The Kottu Bas thumps the blades into the mixture to a rhythmic beat. The steaming hot kottu is then dished out; it is a food which fulfills all cravings and hunger pangs.

BE IT FOR DINNER OR A PRE-DAWN SNACK AFTER A NIGHT OUT, KOTTU IS THE IDEAL COMFORT FOOD.

The kottu mix steams on the hot metal plate

22 KOTTU SUTRA AT KAEMA SUTRA The signature sounds of kottu beat to a slightly more refined tune at Kaema Sutra where Dharshan has put his own unique spin on the local favourite. With unorthodox kottu dishes catering to vegetarians and meat lovers, Kaema Sutra serves multiple combinations based on the guests’ individual preference as per the Kottu Sutra Menu. The famous Crab Kottu, the exotic Polos Kottu (Green Jack Fruit Kottu) and the tropical Kehel Mal Kottu (Banana Flower Kottu) are the most

demanded kottu at Kaema Sutra.

It’s not the typical chicken kottu that is served here, as the chicken kottu comes with either dark meat or white meat. Rare kottu dishes in the Kaema Sutra menu are goat meat, mutton and even crunchy prawns.

It’s not just parata roti! Diners can choose even strings or NCK (Dharshan’s No Carb Kottu) as the base. One can add two eggs or choose to add no eggs, you can opt for a slice or two of cheese; even three if it strikes your fancy!

The delicious Crunchy Prawn Kottu and popular Crab Kottu at Kaema Sutra

THE SIGNATURE

SOUNDS OF KOTTU

BEAT TO A SLIGHTLY

MORE REFINED TUNE AT KAEMA SUTRA WHERE

DHARSHAN HAS PUT HIS OWN UNIQUE SPIN ON

THE LOCAL FAVOURITE!

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JUNE 2017

IT’S AN ART

Plenty of crab goes into the kottu

Gravy adds much flavour

What sets the Kaema Sutra kottu apart from the rest is its preparation. It is not pounded to a pulp, but is delicately and artfully made on a Japanese Teppanyaki Grill. In the open kitchen with the hot flat grill sizzling for diners to see, kottu is prepared with utmost care and flourish. The Crab Kottu has the most complex recipe; initially the crab curry is cooked separately with a crushed crab for added flavour and goodness that the curry absorbs from the shell.

The gravy, after discarding the crab, is mixed in and the kottu is made with quite a lot of crab meat.

As you indulge in a forkful of the Kaema Sutra Kottu the difference is clear. Due to the delicate steps of preparation, the kottu is not overly chopped and it retains the texture of the proteins and the nutrients of the vegetables.

Kottu is indeed much-loved far and wide in Sri Lanka, both for its unique flavour and its distinctive, lively method of preparation.

Gravy being added to the parata roti

A few chops and its done

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MINISTRY OF CRAB REPRESENTS SRI LANKA at the WORLD GOURMET SUMMIT 2017 Text Shalini Canagasabey Photography Dharshan Munidasa, Shalini Canagasabey and Li Man

Topping off the Garlic Chilli Prawn

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ingapore is considered the ‘Home of the Chilli Crab’, where crabs are stir fried with a sweet, and slightly spicy gravy, to feed thousands of Singaporeans and visitors alike.

The ‘crabs’ used for this iconic dish are most often the Lagoon Crabs imported from Sri Lanka, so much so that Sri Lankan Crab has become a strong brand in Singapore over the past 30 years.

The brand strength of Sri Lankan Crab in the country led Dharshan Munidasa to focus an episode of his TV show ‘Culinary Journeys’ on Chilli Crab, filmed in Singapore.

It was during this shoot that the initial idea of creating a crab restaurant (which would later become the Ministry of Crab!) was born. Therefore, for Dharshan to be back in Singapore to prepare these lagoon crabs in his signature style was indeed coming full circle.

Ministry of Crab (MoC) recently had the privilege of being the first Sri Lankan restaurant to be invited to participate in the World Gourmet Summit (WGS), the oldest and largest food event in South East Asia. This global event, organised

by Peter Knipp Holdings, was inaugurated in 1997 as part of the Singapore Tourism Board’s initiative to establish Singapore as a culinary destination. Since then, it has successfully grown into an internationally recognised event.

The two-week gourmet summit featured 14 globally recognised Masterchefs and 19 of Singapore’s best chefs, who came together to provide the gourmands a host of experiences. This included many masterclasses, four-hand dinners, wine/whiskey pairing dinners and the Epicurean Delights promotion; a showcase of each masterchef’s signature dishes.

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JUNE 2017

THE CRABS USED FOR THIS ICONIC DISH ARE

MOST OFTEN THE LAGOON CRABS IMPORTED FROM SRI LANKA, SO MUCH SO THAT SRI LANKAN CRAB

HAS BECOME A STRONG BRAND IN SINGAPORE OVER THE PAST 30 YEARS.

The MoC Table Setting

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Dharshan Munidasa with Peter Knipp, Founder, WGS

We took up residence at the Tung Lok Signatures, a fine dining authentic Chinese restaurant situated in the Orchard Parade Hotel, for a four-day lunch and dinner promotion. Provided the nature of the restaurant that was hosting us, we created two distinct menus; five courses for lunch and seven courses for dinner. These menus featured a fine selection of Ministry of Crab favourites such as Garlic Chilli Prawn, Baked Crab and Pepper Crab as well as some less popular dishes such as the Avocado Crab Salad and the Oyster Shooters.

Having hosted Gourmet Summit Masterchefs for over eight years, the dynamic duo Chef Li Man and Cha Candy who head the kitchen and restaurant respectively, were of great assistance in ensuring that the Ministry of Crab Pop-Up was a massive success.

“The restaurant and kitchen staff operated like a well-oiled machine” said Dharshan. “It was one of the most efficient operations I’ve seen since we started doing Pop-Ups, which made our lives so much easier!”.

The appreciation was mutual, with Chef Li stating that in all his

Chef Dharshan Munidasa with Chef Li Man

THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THEY SERVED SRI LANKAN FOOD AT TUNG LOK SIGNATURES.

Baked Crab, a MoC signature dish

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UNITED NATIONS GASTRONOMIC ASSEMBLY The highlight of this year’s WGS was the ‘UNcover A Gourmet Atlas’ event held at the beautiful CHIJMES, a colonial convent that was restored into a shopping and dining centre.

Celebrating this year’s WGS under the theme titled ‘United Nations Gastronomic Assembly’, the participating international Masterchefs came together to showcase cuisine from their home country to the public in a relaxed, carnival-like atmosphere.

The presence of representatives from many diplomatic missions in Singapore at WGS added further significance to the UN theme.

Ministry of Crab manned a booth serving our signature Prawn Curry on toast, Baked Crab tarts and the Small Island Iced Tea made using Sri Lankan Coconut Arrack. This was the ideal place to mingle, with an ambience of relaxed camaraderie, where Chefs wandered to each other’s booths to share both food and stories.

Crabs in the Tung Lok Signatures kitchen

years of hosting overseas chefs, the Ministry of Crab team was the easiest to work with as they were very hands-on and the Tung Lok team only had to play an assisting role.

Cha Candy also added that as this was the first time they served Sri Lankan food at Tung Lok, it was a very fresh experience for most of their guests who were used to the intricacies and order of high-end Chinese cuisine.

As Singapore is home to a myriad of crab-centric restaurants, it was also interesting to see so many of these restaurant owners stepping into Tung Lok Signatures to try, savour and experience the uniqueness of the Ministry of Crab dishes. We were also quite proud to be able to represent Sri Lanka in such a big way by bringing our local ingredients and unique methods of preparation to Singapore.

The MoC Pop Up at UNcover A Gourmet Atlas

Murray Aitken, R Rajaratnam, Nimal Weeraratne – Sri Lankan High Commissioner in Singapore, Dharshan Munidasa, Peter Knipp, Asoka Weeraratne

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WORLD GOURMET FESTIVAL 2017bai

Mum

Dishes from Nihonbashi and Ministry of Crab were showcased at the World Gourmet Festival Mumbai.

Text Tishani Sripathi Photography Cellar Door India

Adding the final touches to the Shake No Aburi Sushi

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midst a series of exquisite dinners, the most stunning bartending displays and celebratory evenings filled with fine wines, Dharshan Munidasa was the only Sri Lankan Chef to cook at the First World Gourmet Festival (WGF), Mumbai. A celebration of culinary delights from across the globe, the World Gourmet Festival brought out the best of gourmet cuisine to the Four Seasons in Mumbai.

The WGF Mumbai this year showcased world class culinary masters including Executive Chef Dessi de Vries, Timothy Butler, Hari Nayak, Himanshu Saini as well as Cristian Borchi and was attended by celebrities such as Vir Sanghvi and Jacqueline Fernandez. The WGF in Mumbai also consisted of bartending wizards with the head mixologist of the Four Seasons Ashish Sharma together with Philip Bischoff and Gabrielle Carlos, Alex Veringa, Marco Corallo, Charmaine Thio and Jay Paramathayalan creating magical evenings.

The creamy and rich Coconut Panna Cotta

THE MENU CONSISTED OF A FUSION OF BOTH

AUTHENTIC JAPANESE CUISINE FROM NIHONBASHI

AND THE MOUTHWATERING SRI LANKAN CRAB AND PRAWN DISHES FROM MINISTRY OF CRAB.

Captions

Delicious Pepper Crab

30 THE WGF WAS INDEED A GREAT PLATFORM TO SHOWCASE THE CULINARY SKILLS

THAT EMERGE FROM SRI LANKA.

In honour of the world renowned chefs as well as the bar experts featured at the festival, the best dishes of Nihonbashi and Ministry of Crab were served at two dinners specially curated by Dharshan.

The novelty of the dinners was that the menu consisted of a fusion of both authentic Japanese cuisine from Nihonbashi as well as the mouthwatering Sri Lankan crab and prawn dishes from the Ministry of Crab.

A delicious Tomato Soup with Tensabi Temaki, Munidasa’s original creation was served by the chef himself to the 50 guests present, followed by the Shake No Aburi Sushi, where the raw fish was lightly flame torched to create an all new sushi experience. The Olive Oil Kake Tai Cha completed the Nihonbashi half of the menu.

The Ministry of Crab dishes featured for the first time at the WGF, were the Baked Crab, Garlic Chilli Fresh Water Prawn, Pepper Crab and finally the delectable MoC Coconut Panna Cotta, a sweet climax to the affair.

Speaking about the experience Dharshan recalled the fundamental challenges they faced in cooking at a kitchen other than one’s own. Most of the Sri Lankan spices as well as some of the saucepans necessary to provide the authentic experience Chef Munidasa wanted to create at Four Seasons needed to be flown to Mumbai.

Garlic Chilli Fresh Water Prawn being plated

Together with his team, they prepared mesmerising dishes from fresh, raw ingredients taking the utmost care to ensure diners received the same experience they would encounter if they dined at either Nihonbashi or the Ministry of Crab.

The WGF was indeed a great platform to showcase the culinary skills that emerge from Sri Lanka.

The dinners generated much

intrigue among the international diners who made many an eager query on the availability of the dishes from Nihonbashi and MoC elsewhere across the world.

As Dharshan pointed out, the esteem in being invited to showcase the Island’s culinary skills at the World Gourmet Festival in Mumbai and also seeing to its successful conclusion was quite an achievement in itself.

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BON ODORI Japanese Summer Festival in Sri Lanka Text Yomal Senerath-Yapa

Bon Festival in Colombo

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JUNE 2017

Natsu, the Japanese summer, is alive with festivals. The popular Bon Festival lights up Colombo with flavour and colour.

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apan in summer is lovely, and as you visit its many prefectures every selfie you take would be an effortless picture postcard. This pretty season is heralded in June by the tattoo of rain on the pagoda roofs. But the rains vanish and the golden sun gathers fire by August, and summer proper will then break out. It can be hot, in fact – it is often torrid, however just like with other seasons, Japan will offer a delightful show of nature.

Food is one way to get even with the heat. Therefore, outdoor BBQs and picnics have spread in popularity. The families picnicking by pristine blue rivers on verdant green grassy banks have easy reach to supermarkets and can buy food that is all ready to go on the charcoal grill.

The traditional Bon Odori dance

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Enjoy corn with a grilled twist

A taste of Nippon

However, tradition also survives alongside. Japan’s summer Bon Festival is 500 years old and was originally held to remember dead ancestors. People come back to their hometowns to pray for their departed. Presently most of those spiritual connotations have worn off the summer festival.

The Bon Festival today is mostly about having fun, though the many traditional games and activities are practiced. Most people wear yukatas, light cotton kimonos, for these summer festivals. The Bon Odori is a special dance that is performed to sparkle festival nights. The fireworks (hanabi) that culminate each festival in blinding, shooting, glorious brilliance. “One of the most exciting parts of summer in Japan are the many festivals. Apart from the famous Japanese beaches every festival is worth exploring!�, says Dharshan.

Mouthwatering Yakitori skewers

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Festivities continue on even after dark

BON ODORI COLOMBO In Sri Lanka, the Bon Odori or Bon Festival has been providing Colombo a taste of the Nippon summer for nearly two decades, with Nihonbashi offering summer delicacies such as Yakitori, Yaki Soba, Kakigori and Grilled Corn.

Dressed in bright summer yukatas

the Japanese community in the Island come together with the Embassy of Japan and Japanese Graduates Alumni Association of Sri Lanka to celebrate a truly cultural extravaganza. Bon Odori in Colombo has favourites of the little Japanese too: games ‘Kingyo Sukui’, catching goldfish with a

paper scoop and also ‘Yoyo Tsuri’, fishing for water-filled balloons.

The ambience is casual, smoky and outdoorsy; capturing the essence of a summer celebration.

Look out for updates about Bon Odori 2017 at Nihonbashi Restaurants.

Dharshan with Nihonbashi staff at Bon Odori

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SPICE ISLAND The saga of cinnamon The real fortune of Ceylon is a brown spice endemic to its shores.

Text: Yomal Senerath-Yapa | Photography Menaka Aravinda and Vishwathan Tharmakulasingham True cinnamon, a regal spice

DHARSHAN - CHEF LIFE IN COLOMBO

‘T

rue Cinnamon’ has so long been associated with Ceylon, that its aromatic brown flakes have become synonymous with our island nation.

It was the ancient Arabs who first woke up to the wonderful properties of Cinnamon. It was very popular with them and they introduced it to their neighbours in Europe, who soon couldn’t do without it.

Cinnamon was quite a popular preservative for meats. It was the flourishing need for more of the spice that inspired voyagers such as Columbus and Vasco da Gama

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to search the seas for lands that cultivated the spice. In the present day however very few Sri Lankans are aware that the best cinnamon in the world is produced almost exclusively in their own country.

Due to its unique quality, colour, flavour and also aroma the Ceylon Cinnamon has always been the aristocrat in the market. The ‘True Cinnamon’ is subtle, delicate, thin like paper and sweet with notes of clove. It is brittle, and thus turns into powder easily between your fingers.

The demand for cinnamon as a kitchen ingredient or flavouring has never thinned. It is not merely

IT WAS THE ANCIENT ARABS WHO FIRST WOKE UP TO

THE WONDERFUL PROPERTIES OF CINNAMON... THEY INTRODUCED IT TO THEIR NEIGHBOURS IN EUROPE.

The plant: modest, given its conquests

An island exclusively given to cinnamon in the Koggala Lake

38 your cinnamon tea bun, but a great variety of foods are flavoured by the aromatic peel: from the main dishes to desserts, ice cream, purees, mousses and salads. It is also a benevolent spice that can correct blood sugar levels.

The colonial period of Ceylon is marked all over with the sepia of Cinnamon. European colonists coveted a monopoly over the trade of Sri Lankan cinnamon. Amidst this opportunity in the local caste system a new group nudged its way to importance. They were the guardians and priests of the spice – doing everything from planting, managing and assisting throughout the life cycle of the plant.

The beautiful burnished brown cinnamon quills or scrolls that you find in little stacks have gone through a process only the ancient cinnamon peelers were once privy

The precious bark

Rasping off the green outer bark

THE COLONIAL PERIOD

OF CEYLON IS MARKED ALL OVER WITH THE

SEPIA OF CINNAMON.

Loosening the inner bark with a brass rod

The peeled quills made into bundles

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TODAY IT’S VALUE AND HEALTH BENEFITS MAKE

CINNAMON A REGAL SPICE. CEYLON CINNAMON IS FAST BECOMING VERSATILE...

Quills of cinnamon drying under a roof

39

to. It is a difficult task that requires much skill. The first step is to strip the branches of their leaves and then rasp off the soft outer bark.

The stem is rubbed with a brass rod to loosen the inner bark. Then the expert peeler makes a few careful, surgical incisions and the bark is neatly removed. The final step is to place the quills one inside the other in what are called ‘compound quills’. These are then left to dry and acquire an alluring brown hue.

For centuries, up to recently, ‘cinnamon’ was in quills, which were kept in kitchen jars alongside strings of garlic; nothing but a raw spice. Today it’s value and health benefits make cinnamon a regal spice. Ceylon Cinnamon is fast becoming versatile, spinning off value added products ranging from powder, lotions and body wash to cocktails and chocolates.

In Dharshan’s restaurants, Ministry of Crab, Kaema Sutra, The Tuna & The Crab and Alexandra & Ward, you can sip an exquisite cup of Small Island Spice Tea, Dharshan’s own inspired cinnamon infusion, that will soothe you with warm, sweet wafts of a romantic spice that once moved armies and toppled kingdoms.

Small Island Spice Tea by Dharshan

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What’s Cooking in

DHARSHAN’S KITCHEN

GARLIC CHILLI FRESHWATER PRAWN Crabs may be the stars of the show at Ministry of Crab, but one other signature dish that has fast become a favourite among majority of our guests is The Garlic Chilli Freshwater Prawn.

The Freshwater Prawns or Lake Prawns of Sri Lanka are giants compared to their cousins, the black tiger prawns. It is very rare to find a consistent supply of prawns of this size and Sri Lanka has the distinction of being one of the few countries in the world, blessed with this culinary gem.

These prawns are farm hatched and released into the wild, growing to great sizes in the amazing lakes built by the Sri Lankan Kings.

Dharshan was always fascinated by these prawns, so much so that about 12 years ago Nihonbashi even had a tank full of them.

However, it was quite difficult to keep them alive in tanks, wherein lay the challenge. In the beginning, Ministry of Crab struggled to source a constant supply with consistent sizes and deliveries, but once that hurdle was passed

these prawns became a part of our menu and today we are probably the biggest user of Freshwater Prawns in the country.

It is also important to note that prior to us plating up these incredible crustaceans, they were not widely used, but have since gone onto become a sought-after ingredient in many kitchens around Sri Lanka. Soon guests will even be able to choose their prawn size, starting from 150g upto the Prawnzillas at 500g.

Created at a time when Dharshan was experimenting with the combined flavour profiles of Soy Sauce and Olive Oil; this dish fuses the distinct tastes of Italian Olive Oil, Japanese Soy Sauce, Garlic and Chilli flakes to create an extremely flavourful sauce that brings out the natural freshness of this amazing prawn.

We recommend that our guests order this dish with a portion of Kade Paan to soak up this awesome sauce!

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KAGO SUSHI

Kago translates into ‘cage’ or ‘basket’. It grew out of the giant cage that stands in the middle of the Alexandra and Ward Fashion Café. At first Dharshan was oscillating between having a cage or a tree in the middle of the restaurant. After choosing the

cage, he saw that a similar design could serve as a receptacle to serve his sushi; a novel change from the bento boxes.

Served elegantly in a miniature cage, the kago sushi dish amply compensates for an afternoon tea for four people, consisting one set

of Wasabi Crab Maki (six pieces), one set of Tuna Maki (six pieces), one set of Kimchi and Cucumber Maki (six pieces), 12 pieces of Nigiri (four each of Prawn, Tuna, Salmon) and Tamago Sushi (four pieces). A high tea in the purest Japanese tradition.

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43 NEWS NIBBLES

A MEANINGFUL VESAK

T

his year’s Vesak poya day brought joy to a group of underprivileged children who were treated to a day-out at the Dutch Hospital, courtesy of the Ministry of Crab. MoC together with a parliamentary incorporated charity fund – Expo 80 Foundation, felt that bringing these kids some lighthearted fun would be a worthy cause.

Upon arrival, the children had a wonderful time at the installed play area and later they were all treated to a generous feast. The menu was rice, fish curry, egg rotti, roasted curry chicken, batter fried prawns, pizza and French fries. It was topped off with the ice cream cart that served generous scoops.

Later on, it was gift time. At the Odel LUV SL store, each child was allowed to pick what they liked out of the shop’s selection.

Before the happy and satisfied kids were sent back, each of them were given a gift pack by the restaurant’s crab suppliers as well

The children at the Ministry of Crab

as an MoC cap as a reminder of their visit. Expo 80 who partnered with MoC was founded by the late MP Tyronne Fernando, and is now headed by his daughter Tehani Mathew. Their many charity acts have been providing a thousand kids with uniforms and school books, holding English classes for underprivileged children, giving dry rations annually for 750 needy families and a Christmas bash for

nearly 700 children in a preschool run by the Moratuwa Municipal Council. You too can contribute to the foundation’s charity work via the following account.

Name of Account: EXPO 80 Foundation, Moratuwa Bank: People’s Bank, Park Street P/B Swift Code: PSBKLKLX713502510 Bank Account Number: 013399023

NIHONBASHI APPOINTS NEW MD

Nayana Ellepola, MD, Nihonbashi Restaurants

C

hef Dharshan Munidasa and his mother Nobuko Munidasa, Founders of Nihonbashi

Restaurant, appointed the long standing General Manager Nayana Ellepola of Nihonbashi to the post of Managing Director.

With over 40 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Ellepola joined Nihonbashi in 1996, just six months after the restaurant opening in June 1995. Over the course of Nihonbashi’s 22-year existence, he has been the steady hand behind-the-scenes, which enabled Munidasa to spread

Japanese culinary culture within Sri Lanka.

In his new position, Ellepola will administer the strategic direction of Nihonbashi, Café Nihonbashi and Alexandra & Ward, while also continuing to oversee and manage operations at The Tuna and The Crab – Galle Fort, which is managed by Nihonbashi. Together with Dharshan, he will also explore new opportunities available for Nihonbashi Restaurants.

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