Lanka Food by O Tama Carey
Contained in a shimmering gold cover, Lanka Food by chef O Tama Carey hints at the magic within its abundant pages.
Words: Emma-Kate Wilson I Photography: Anson Smart & Nikki To
‘[On Lankan Filling Station] As soon as you enter our tiny space, or even just walk past, the scent of spices and curry leaves envelopes you. And on the best days, I walk in and it really smells like a little bit of Sri Lanka,’ says O Tama Carey. Photo: Nikki To
O Tama Carey’s hole-in-the-wall restaurant, Lankan Filling Station in Darlinghurst. Photo: Anson Smart
Part memoir, part cookbook, Lanka Food reveals the delight in Sri Lankan cooking; one O Tama Carey learnt from her Sri Lankan mother and nan, who migrated to Australia before she was born. Cooking meals she grew up around became a way to connect with her home country — though, through the generations adding an Australian hint at times (ingredients like French onion packet soup mix and Deb mashed potatoes).
‘The milk toffee was always the treat I associated with my nan as well as her closely guarded love cake recipe,’ O Tama remembers. ‘The sprat recipe in the book reminds me of my mum, and when I think of the eggplant dish I can clearly picture her shaking her eggplant pieces in a plastic bag with turmeric as a way to coat them without staining her hands.’
O Tama has returned the favour by sharing this delicious food with Sydney for several years at her hole-in-the-wall restaurant, Lankan Filling Station in Darlinghurst in Sydney — from her iconic hoppers to creamy dhal and punchy sambol. Now fans of the restaurant can attempt to make their own traditions, helpfully guided through the spices, popular ingredients, how to eat guides, before landing on the comprehensive list of recipes.
Alongside recipes and personal narrative, O Tama offers an in-depth take on Sri Lankan food, the culture, and history. ‘From the beginning, it was very important to me that the book was more than just a collection of recipes; I really wanted to make sure I showed the myriad of cultures that have gone into making Sri Lankan food what it is,’ the chef says.
Hoppers in the making from Lanka Food by O Tama Carey. Photo: Anson Smart
Pol roti from Lanka Food by O Tama Carey. Photo: Anson Smart
“I want this book to be multi-purpose: a guide for those seeking a deeper understanding of Sri Lankan culture through food, a way to demystify the cuisine, and a starting point for you to cook Sri Lankan food and share it with your favourite people.”
Wattalappam: a rich spiced custard from Lanka Food by O Tama Carey. Photo: Anson Smart
Lanka Food by O Tama Carey. Photo: Anson Smart
“One of the joys of travelling or living in most Asian countries is the tradition of street food… Sri Lanka certainly doesn’t disappoint.”
‘Even though Sri Lanka is very small, there is a such mix of influences, people and religions which are intertwined and not easy to untangle,’ she adds, ‘To decipher this a little and make it clear was one of my main aims, so I suppose I started with my knowledge from travelling there, from asking questions and from talking to people.’
Within the book, O Tama shares how her venture into selling (her now famous) hoppers was a very different experience than making them at home with family or testing in the kitchen. A line of 40 plus people trailing away, with orders up to 10 and 20 hoppers at a time, two out of six burners stopped working and the mixture started sticking to the pan — an essential learning lesson that O Tama has now passed onto the reader. ‘I am most pleased with is finally having a hopper recipe that’s doable at home!’
Lanka Food offers a small window into Sri Lanka, revealing a snippet of a country rich with spices and flavours, with a layered mix of people and history who make up this complex and diverse landscape. O Tama concurs, ‘writing the book made me realise both how much and how little I know of the food and the culture — it’s only made me want to travel there more and learn more.’
