THERE is a popular joke (at least in Sri Lanka) that there are more Chinese restaurants in Sri Lanka than there is in China itself. This is obviously not true, but it speaks to the truth that Chinese cuisine has long had a hold on the island nation.
Waves of Chinese migrants arrived in Sri Lanka in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. More followed in the 1940s, brought by economic opportunity or forced out by instability in their native country. Sri Lanka itself has been no stranger to domestic strife, with its civil war only ending in 2009.
Today, the local Chinese community, most of whom reside in the capital Colombo, are also welcoming Chinese labourers who are working on a whole host of infrastructure projects, as well as waves of tourists from mainland China – at least before the pandemic, of course.
The cuisine that results from this melding of cultures takes on aspects of both groups. The area around Sri Lanka is rife with all sorts of sea life, which results in fresh delectable seafood. The diet of rice and curry is one that is malleable, and Chinese cooks in all corners of the globe are masters of adaptation.
Deep frying, the use of chilli flakes or paste, and using more sugar than is traditionally required, are just some of the adjustments made by Chinese chefs in Sri Lanka.
Aliyaa, a Sri Lankan restaurant in Bukit Damansara, has released a special Chinese New Year menu that pays homage to this fusion of cultures and cuisines.
On the inspiration behind the special Chinese New Year menu, Aliyaa owner Abbi Kanthasamy explained: "My two children, Misa and Cheran, are both half Chinese. We always celebrate all Hindu and Chinese festivals. It’s only fitting that my favourite and first restaurant in Cinnamon Group do the same!"
Fittingly, the meal starts off with the traditional yee sang, but with a Sri Lankan twist. The crab – which takes the place of the fresh fish – visually dominates the dish and quickly sets it apart from what’s normally expected.
Once all the elements are mixed and the additional (and optional) condiments are added in, each bite is full of flavour. For those who prefer more spice, this might be better than the authentic – excuse me for the heresy.
For an appetiser, the Chinese-style mutton rolls, aesthetically, look like a traditional spring roll, but when you bite into it, it’s like tasting all the flavours of South Asia. The meat is soft and tender, and there’s a gentle heat that slowly builds. It is also a reminder, early in the menu, that the spice adverse should be wary.
The sea crab soup with artichoke and baby sweet peas has a look that is reminiscent of shark’s fin soup from days of yore. The vegetables add a textural variety and creaminess to each bite. The soup is infused into the crab, enhancing the flavour.
The main dishes arrive all at once. Pucuk paku with tempered mushrooms, pepper chicken, batter fried prawns, devilled fish, mussel curry, all served with pineapple rice. It is not easy to pick out favourites – it’s up to personal preferences. They all pack a punch.
They also tell a story of fresh ingredients, a fusion of flavours and cooking styles. The mussels, typically treated delicately in European cooking, are drenched in a curry that gives it another layer of flavour. The pepper chicken is spicy and deep fried to suit the regional palate, in a departure from how it is prepared in traditional Chinese cooking.
While not part of the special Chinese New Year menu, the Sri Lankan style chilli crab is just too tempting to ignore. As it’s drenched in a complex spicy sauce, don’t expect to get out of it cleanly. It will be a mess. Fortunately, there’s a bib and plastic gloves provided so you don’t find yourself splattered with red sauce.
The crab meat itself is sweet, with the live crustacean having been flown in from elsewhere in the region and cooked to order.
For dessert, there is a choice of wattalapam or sweet appam. Both are dishes traditional to Sri Lanka and southern India. As Aliyaa is more of a fine dining establishment, the dishes are ‘elevated’.
Yes, that’s another way of saying pricier, but the results are undeniably decadent, with the coconut milk and gula melaka of the sweet appam contrasting with the warm and soft pancake.
The style of food is very accessible to the Malaysian palate, after all it’s rice and a variety of curries. We are used to fusion cuisine without even thinking about it. The combination of Sri Lankan and Chinese cuisine available at Aliyaa, in addition to its standard menu of favourites, represents a way of tasting something different but familiar.
Aliyaa’s special menu runs until February 7, available for both dine-in and delivery. It is RM98 per pax (minimum 2 pax). If you would like to make a reservation, contact the restaurant at 017-883 3738. The yee sang is RM88 per set. The Sri Lankan style chilli crab is available at RM144. – The Vibes, January 25, 2022
