Top Five Dishes at Award Winning Yaalu Yaalu Restaurant

Just off the southern tip of the Indian Peninsula and south west of the crystal blue waters of the Bay of Bengal, the island of Sri Lanka lies with its dense tropical forests, snow-tipped mountains and a culture as rich and deep as its three-thousand year history. Formerly known as Ceylon under British Imperial rule until its independence in 1948, previous to which it was occupied by the Portuguese and Dutch and influenced by India and South Asia, resulting in a unique mixing of heritages and cuisines that resonate to this day. Until recently the vast wealth of this island’s cultural and gastronomic heritage remained mysterious for many Westerners. Thankfully this is no longer the case thanks to the efforts of the ex-patriot Sri Lankan community in Britain. Along the kaleidoscopic Green Lanes of Haringey, you’ll find a restaurant embossed with sapphire blue that brings the innovative and wholly unique fusion of traditional Sri Lankan dishes and street food with a tantalising twist, from the windswept island in the Indian Ocean. Winners of the first ever London Asian Food Award 2019, Yaalu Yaalu continues to set a precedent offering a menu that delivers something original, healthy and sumptuous for all avid adventurers in taste. With a culture and history as unique and varied as Sri Lanka’s, Yaalu Yaalu endeavoured to create a menu that promises as much individuality as the island inspires – but where to start? Three-thousand years is an awfully long time if you’re particularly peckish. Luckily we have the Yaalu Yaalu Choices for the Top Five Dinner Dishes so not to worry!

So, let’s start at the start with starters, shall we!

Yaalu Punch:

A wholesome, healthy vegetarian starter or side, Yaalu Punch mixes the sweetest ripe papaya and mango with gherkins, young coconut milk, pickled beetroot and red onion drizzled with a piquant coconut vinegar dressing. The perfect pallet-cleanser between dishes or a starter salad that opens up the gastronomy for the main event – this dish is colourful, created with crunchy tropical mangos and papaya fresh from Sri Lanka and, mixed with the sweetness of the coconut flesh and a tangy dressing, forms the perfect summery gateway or sharing dish that goes with anything. When paired with the coated chicken wings and a white wine, Yaalu’s one-word description:

“Refreshing.”

The Boss:

This most popular of starters, served solely at Yaalu Yaalu due to its vast complexity, is the closest you can come to experiencing the traditional Sri Lankan delicacy: Dried Beef. The sheer tenderness of the meat comes from the lengthy marinating process, left for over ten sumptuous hours in signature spices, lemongrass, curry and badam leaves before being roasted in the ovens, the unique texture and flavours of the beef provides a wholly Sri Lankan experience. The tender texture and peppery taste goes perfectly with a bottle of Sri Lankan Lion beer, Shiraz or traditionally with the coconut spirit Arrack which is available in several cocktails for an authentic experience. Yaalu’s one word:

“Exquisite.”

 Moving to the main event, the mains!

Malwana: 

This deceptively simple vegetarian curry is savoured for special occasions in the villages of Sri Lanka using the finest ingredients available in the tropical forests. A favourite among the locals, sweet Sri Lankan cashews known for being wild and particularly flavoursome, are soaked until soft before being slowly cooked with green beans, aromatic curry leaves, signature spices and creamy coconut milk. The subtle taste of the infused soft cashews as well as the velvety texture of the sweet coconut sauce, leaves a well-balanced experience especially when mixed with traditional boiled red raw Sri Lankan rice high in vitamins and minerals. Perfect with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc or passionfruit juice and lemonade. Yaalu’s one word:

“Tropical.”

Caught…Wrapped…Sealed:

Bringing South East Asia fused with Sri Lanka to Yaalu Yaalu, this incredibly tasty, surprisingly healthy dish is available nowhere else in London. Fresh delicate seabass is marinated in Sri Lankan and South East Asian spices before being wrapped in banana leaves – traditionally used on the island as a plate or a way of storing food. After marinating, the fish is slowly baked in the banana leaves creating a unique infused flavour and melting flakes of fish. The use of all-natural ingredients as well as the inherent health benefits of banana leaves this is considered the most organic and healthy dish on the menu and a definite recommendation from Yaalu Yaalu.

“Exotic.”

Spot the Goat:

In South East Asia, lamb is not the delicacy it is in the West, instead the arguably more flavoursome meat eaten is goat. Cooked with coconut, and a selection of sensational spices including lemongrass, badam and curry leaves for up to five hours, no part of the goat goes to waste in creating a unique dish that melts in the mouth and bursts with flavour. Served with a mojito to bring out the flavours, Yaalu’s taste description:

“Unique.”

 And now for the wildcard…

Wildings:

No, you haven’t miscounted, the truth is we simply couldn’t decide between the top spot for a meaty main so, we have a little challenge for you! Wildings is just that – Wild Boar! A true delicacy served on special occasions, sourced rarely by expert hunters in the villages when prepared in Sri Lanka, our boar is marinated for over 24 hours with five island spices and other secret ingredients. After the marinating process, the boar is cooked incredibly slowly for a further two hours to soften the tough rich meat. When served, the boar has been given time to absorb each of the individual flavours allowing you to taste each herb and spice dancing about your tongue when eaten. This is true Sri Lankan cuisine and rather difficult to keep off the list! When served with Lion beer or a glass of Malbec, Yaalu’s one and only word:

“Authentic.”

Back to that challenge: we simply couldn’t decide between Spot the Goat and Wildings for the top five list so that choice is up to you! We’d love to know your thoughts on our social media pages on Facebook, Instagram or twitter and your choice for the top spot!

When the menu was created, the two Sri Lankans now live in London Dinesh and Roshan wanted all the dishes to be unique and contrasting to one another, something refreshingly different from the mainstream Asian cuisine. “Sri Lankan cuisine is authentic, unique and beautiful”, says Dinesh and Roshan, a thing to be shared and must be tasted to be believed. Book a table at Yaalu Yaalu to try the culinary delights of Sri Lanka today and create your very own top five dishes! 

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