Soya meat, TVP very popular in Sri Lanka, but we didn’t notice as much of vegetarian presence compared with nearby India, but there is a strong Buddhist tradition.
Their favourite use of TVP is “Devilled” a term which is used a lot in Sri Lanka is usually means a chilli dish; devilled instant noodles.
We visited Anuradhapura, in the north of the island, and spend one day cycling around the ancient city ruins. There wasn’t a huge selection of restaurants and our hotels offerings looked really grim and overpriced compared to local eateries (the cheap room and free Wi-Fi were the main benefits).
We found a nice place to eat above the supermarket and we ate our lunch and dinner there that day. We chose the Devilled soya, which was little raspberry shaped pieces cooked in a tasty sauce with some stir fried veg and rice.
In the supermarket there was shelf upon shelf of packaged dry soya meats, in all kinds of meat, fish and curry flavours. Before we left the south of the island a few days before the end of our trip we picked up three packets. Two of which were ‘cuttlefish’ style, which I love the novelty that they are shaped like Cheerios when dry!
Last night I wanted to cook curry, I usually do this from scratch, but we realised there was a jar of Lloyd Grossman Bhuna sauce in the cupboard, bought on a whim and taking up space. So I cooked up an aubergine and butternut squash curry in one pan and the ‘Cuttlefish’ in the other. Wow! This was such a lovely curry flavour, every time I walked back in the kitchen the smell was a wonderful reminder…mmmmm
Which reminds me, I send a packet of this away as part of the Vegan Swap Box this month to the lovely Sarah at:
http://vgirlonamission.blogspot.co.uk/
I hope she has as much success with the soya meat :)
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