jathihu katu ethi rukaya”.
Apart from the three methods of cooking Bedum
(frying), Mellum (cook in a half way, specially
kinds of leaves cut into small pieces) and Hodda
(gravy), vegetables were cooked in three ways.
Those are Anama, Embula, and Niyambalawa.
Curries, cooked without gravy and can be eaten
taking by hand, is called Niyambalawa.
Various types of spices (Kulu Badu) were used to
make curries tasty in Sri Lanka in ancient time.
They were called ‘Katuka Bhanda’. Present day
women use the word ‘Thuna Paha (curry powder)’
instead of ‘Kulu Badu (spices)’ commonly. That
word means three special types and another
five types. The first three types mentioned are
Lunu (salt), Duru (dill) and Miris (chilly).
The other five are Sudu Duru (dill), Kalu Duru
(dill), Koththamalli (coriander), Aba (mustard)
and Uluhal. In some areas Asamodagam (dill
seeds) and Sathakuppa were used instead of Aba
(mustard)and Uluhal. Apart from this, various
types of sours were used to make food tasty. Dehi
(lemon), Dodam (orange), Goraka, Nasnaran,
Gadadehi were used. The word ‘Karambembiya’
in old books means ‘Karapincha (curry leaves).
The oils which were used to cook food were
commonly named as ‘Kana thel’. Its meaning is
‘the oil for eating’. Among them Dunthel and
Githel (ghee) were major ones. ‘Polthel (coconut
oil)’ was used less.
Consuming milk was common even among
villagers. The name ‘Kirigeri’ can be seen in the
inscriptions of the 9th century used for the cows
in villages. The word ‘Dee Kiri’ too has been used
in the inscriptions. It is clear that it was a custom
of the people to eat curd. It is mentioned in
Poojawaliya that a father says “Mage Duwaniyata
Kiri Kannata Sarak Banakuth Dunamana
Wedayi – (Shouldn’t I give a couple of cattle for
my daughter to eat curd?)” at the moment when
his daughter was about to leave her house on her
marriage day.Having various types of Kenda (gruel) was a
custom of our country from very ancient time. It
is an easily digestible food. Instead of the word
‘Kenda (gruel)’ the three words ‘Ambu’, ‘Hambu’,
and ‘Kaadi’ have been used in our old books.
When rice was boiled with salt mixed water,
it was called ‘Diya Kenda’. The type of ‘Kenda’,
which was made by mixing one portion of rice
with six portions of water for patients, was called
‘Yawagu’. This was named as ‘Ulu Kenda’ as well.
Today we call it ‘Lunu Kenda’. Various types of
‘Kenda’ (gruel) were made mixing various types
of medicines for different kinds of illnesses.
Saddharmarathnawaliya mentions a kind of very
sweet gruel in the name of ‘Rasa Ulu Kenda’. It
was cooked in milk without water, using bee
honey and ghee. When it came to the right
temperature, orange juice was mixed. Ancient
people of this country drank Kenda as the first
meal of the day. Those types of Kenda cooked
mixing the leaves with medicinal quality were
known as ‘Embulhambu’ or ‘Embul Kenda’.There was animal meat consuming too. People
in the ancient time used to eat meat of animals
living on land as well as kinds of fish. The tax,
which was charged for catching fish in the water
channels that led from tanks to paddy fields, was
called ‘Mathrika Mathsya Bhagaya’ then. Here,
‘Mathrika’ was small water channels.