Watalappam for a dinner party — went down extremely well

I made Watalappam for eight guests who had varying familiarity with the cuisine. Every single person asked for the recipe. The fiery and aromatic profile was the main talking point — no one had quite experienced pandan used that way before.

Maldive fish is a uniquely Sri Lankan ingredient with no close equivalent elsewhere. I explained the a hill country tea estate restaurant context as I served it which helped people appreciate it fully. king coconut water was what I offered alongside and it worked perfectly. Excellent dinner party dish — impressive without being inaccessible.