Serendip: My Sri Lankan Kitchen

by Peter Kuruvita

Serendip takes us on a rich and rewarding journey through Sri Lanka's traditional foods, its family-orientated culture and its colourful approach to life. Acclaimed chef Peter Kuruvita has reached deep into kitchen experiences with his grandmother and aunties, and has travelled the markets and stalls of the lush green island, to bring us this comprehensive collection of Sri Lankan recipes and a host of heart-warming stories. Offering Sri Lankan curries of every kind, as well as traditional snacks, breads and sticky sweet treats, Serendip is a treasury of spicy meals and tasty morsels. Key beautiful location photography brings the recipes to vibrant life; authentic Sri Lankan food, simply prepared and described; historical detail and fascinating family memories

Genres: Cookbooks, Food, Cooking, Nonfiction

256 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2009

About the author

Peter Kuruvita (born October 1963) is an Australian chef, restaurateur and media personality, known for his rich culturally inspired cooking, highly influenced by his Sri Lankan father and Austrian mother.

Reviews

[Annsartwell]

My brother, Matt Sartwell, just sent me this book which is so gorgeous and mouth-watering- even if I hadn't been an exchange student in Sri Lanka, it would have been compelling--the memoir bits are so compelling, especially the opening where the author relates his father's ill-conceived but successful plan to catch a ferry from India to Sri Lanka by jumping the family's London-bought minibus onto two dugout canoes strapped together with rope--but the visceral food memories evoked by the recipes have transported me.

[Charles Eldridge · Rating 3 out of 5]

Any faults of the book in this review are squarely on the publisher Murdoch Books and not the author-chef.

This cookbook is an odd size and makes some absolutely awful design choices. Most of the book’s writing is literally unreadable with thin and/or odd fonts on a fake parchment colored background.

If one struggles through the poor design, a sweet story of a chef’s family and food can be found. The photography is superb showing the culture of Sri Lanka and the food. But I just can’t get over the eye strain of trying to decipher the recipes through the small, thin print on a poorly chosen colored background. This cookbook’s design do not make it user friendly to have open on a kitchen counter to make the recipes.

I will return this cookbook to the library and keep utilizing the incredible “Rambutan: Recipes from Sri Lanka” by Cynthia Shanmugalingam to explore this delicious cuisine.

[Aasinathena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful read about my motherland <3 !!!

[Vivienne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Whilst all the recipes are delicious, I didn't really come across anything particularly new. Peter Kuruvita is a great presenter.

[Thulasi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well presented traditional Sri Lankan recipes. One of the best book I have seen and use to cook Sri Lankan food. The photos are Great as well.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I borrowed this from the library, but think I will buy my own copy.