Latest news with #Rambutan
Time Out
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
The 7 best sausage rolls in London have been crowned by the New York Times
If there's one food that brings Brits together, it's the humble sausage roll. A trusty hangover breakfast, a summer picnic essential, a hearty pub snack – soft minced pork wrapped in a crispy slap of puff pastry has a magic hold over the nation. Obviously, Americans are less acquainted with the beloved British staple, so for its list of the best sausage rolls in the capital, the New York Times asked a batch of London creatives to share their favourites. From simple traditional rolls, to gourmet interpretations, here's what they picked. Cynthia Shanmugalingam, chef and owner of Sri Lankan restaurant Rambutan, chose the sausage roll at the Ginger Pig in Borough Market. She called it the 'Rolls Royce of sausage rolls' and said that 'the pastry is like a crispy cloud, all buttery flakiness, and the filling is an explosion of juicy, dense, delicious pork, with a little black pepper and herbs'. The sausage roll at Jolene in Stoke Newington, which is seasoned with red wine, fennel seeds, garlic and black pepper, was picked by jewellery designer Fernando Jorge. Chef Joseph Denison Carey declared that the sausage roll at the Hampstead outpost of bakery chain Gail's is 'the best on the market'. He said of the pastry, made with pork, rosemary, thyme, sage, oregano and mustard: 'It's always perfectly seasoned, and the consistency of the filling is ideal. It's almost meatloafy.' Angus Buchanan, creative director of Buchanan Studios, chose the meaty pastry at Notting Hill's Layla Bakery, which is made using scraps of croissant dough. He said: 'The sausage roll is something of an enigma, as it's only available on the weekends and they don't even always have it, but if they do, it's the best!'. For veggies, Layla also do a roll stuffed with sweet potato, chestnut mushroom and chickpeas. Of course, no list of the best sausage rolls is complete without a Greggs shoutout. Fashion designer Chet Lo nominated the high street classic, which he called 'unpretentious and good'. Alexis Burgess, director of Livingstone whisky and Burgess Studio, selected the rolls served at the bar at the Marksmen in Hackney which come packed with pork, spices, sage, onions and chopped cep mushrooms. Alex Eagle, the creative director of Alex Eagle Studio, hailed the pastry at Mayfair's Rex Deli stuffed with pork, apple and sage, 'that is really spoiling with some mustard, and maybe a beer, on a Sunday afternoon'.
The Guardian
13-05-2025
- General
- The Guardian
The cardamom conundrum: what's the difference between green and black pods?
What's the difference between green and black cardamom, and when should I use pods or ground? 'Cardamom is my favourite spice,' says Cynthia Shanmugalingam, chef/proprietor of Rambutan in London. 'It smells like childhood puddings and sweets.' That's not to say the papery pods filled with black seeds aren't versatile, mind. Yes, cardamom can bring a 'piney, eucalyptus-like fragrance and warmth' to desserts, Shanmugalingam adds, but it also 'adds depth' to savoury dishes, meaning you can take it in multiple directions. With its origins in southern India and a relative of ginger, cardamom pods commonly come in green and black (also known as brown) form, as well as red (used mainly in Chinese and Asian cuisines) and white, which are bleached green pods. While Roopa Gulati, author of Indian Kitchens: Treasured Family Recipes from Across the Land, often uses both black/brown and green in the same dish, she says you 'have to be aware that they are totally different in flavour. You're not going to make a lovely, aromatic rice pudding and stick some brown cardamom in it, because that will override all the other flavours.' That's because black cardamom is earthy, smoky and more robust than its green relative, which is why Gulati puts it to work in the likes of meaty curries, lamb pilaf and rice dishes, as well as in garam masala: 'It has a good, solid base note.' The Kashmiri stock yakhni is a good example: 'That has loads of spices in it, but if you also chuck in a couple of brown cardamom pods, it just gives it that extra layer.' That's not to say the bolder brown cardamom should stay in its lane, though: 'It can also go with sweet things such as dates,' Gulati adds. As for red cardamom, which is similar in taste to brown, 'in India, we don't cook with it, but it's interchangeable with brown, though our homegrown brown cardamom is a bit more pungent!' Green cardamom, meanwhile, is 'quite fresh and citrussy', so Gulati uses that in cake batters and desserts, such as rice pudding: 'I'll sometimes put green cardamom pods in a pan of milk and simmer to infuse.' And while Shanmugalingam is a fan of the lighter, sweeter spice in watalappan (a Sri Lankan coconut caramel pudding), she'll also put it to work in pilafs and biryanis, dals and marinades for chicken. Finally, with white cardamom, which is the more mellow of the bunch, again think creamy desserts and cakes. As for using whole pods versus grinding the seeds inside, Shanmugalingam leans towards the former, because, she says, 'they retain flavour better and infuse sweet rice pudding and curries really well'. If you're after something punchier, meanwhile, Gulati's top tip is to drop the pods into hot oil: 'Their volatile oils are released and you get a stronger flavour; always pierce the pod first, though, otherwise it might explode.' Ground cardamom, meanwhile, works best in cakes and marinades, Shanmugalingam says, although the process of grinding those seeds is, Gulati admits, 'a real pain in the neck'. To grease the wheels, she suggests adding a pinch of caster sugar to proceedings: 'It acts as an abrasive, so makes it much easier and quicker to pound with a pestle.' Thankfully, a little goes a long way, and always remember that freshness is key: 'Once you've ground the seeds, use them quite quickly,' Gulati says, 'otherwise they'll turn musty.' Got a culinary dilemma? Email feast@
Times
10-05-2025
- Times
The UK's top Sri Lankan chef on her foodie go-tos for the Teardrop Isle
From hoppers to kottu roti, Sri Lankan food is known for its punchy flavours, local herbs and spices and generous use of coconut. Some of its best-known dishes include pol sambol, lamprais and idiyappam, thin noodles made from rice flour. Fresh and filling, Sri Lanka's moreish breads, curries and rice-based dishes are affordable and easy to find across the country, whether you're trying street food stalls or dining in restaurants. However, it can be hard to know what to feast on first if you don't know where to look. Here, Cynthia Shanmugalingam, chef-proprietor of London's acclaimed Sri Lankan restaurant Rambutan, picks her favourite dishes from her homeland and chooses the best places to eat them. For kottu roti, the king of Sri Lanka's street-food dishes, your best stop is the nation's capital, where its diverse mix of ethnic communities offer many variations. Kottu roti is Tamil for 'cut roti', and comprises buttery, flaky strips of sliced roti, spicy curry, crispy fried eggs, sliced carrots, cabbage, onions and curry leaves all noisily banged together on a hotplate. You might customise your kottu by opting for one with or without cheese, with fat strips of roti ('dolphin') or skinny ones, and by choosing how much of the extra bowl of curry you'll get on the side to resoak your kottu depending on your preference for wet or dry. For the brave, one of the city's best is to be found at Masha Allah Hotel on Abdul Hameed St. Here you can try my favourite variety — babath, or beef tripe kottu — which has a delicious, melting, darkly spiced flavour, and where you can also try palandi, a yoghurt-mix kottu to cool you down. Or try the no-frills Nana's at Galle Face Green, a decades-old, family-run stall with almost every variation you can imagine (from 50p). For a more conventional version, try Cape Weligama, a hotel in southern Sri Lanka, which serves a delicious juicy prawn kottu in a beautiful restaurant that looks out onto Weligama's golden bay (B&B doubles from £500; Outside of snagging yourself an invite to a Sri Lankan home, Colombo is also your best bet for the country's national lunchtime habit: rice and curry. The city caters well for all its workers who get up at the crack of dawn, many of whom commute long hours and work hard all day, and who all need a nutritious and cheap midday meal. Queue alongside them for fantastic quality, quick and affordable rice and curry: my favourites are Curry Pot, a cheap, hole-in-the-wall spot on Marine Drive, where you choose six accompaniments to white or yellow rice from 40 freshly cooked claypots, including mango, jackfruit, chicken, prawn or potato curries (from £1); and Ranbath Organic, a vegetarian and impeccably sourced café with an extraordinary selection of claypots and vegetables to point and choose from, alongside heirloom rice (from £2; @ranbathorganic). Some of the city's best eating spots aren't entirely sanitary, so this comes with a cautionary health warning, but for what might be Colombo's best sandwich, try Ai Kopi Kade on Abdul Hameed St in Aluthkade for a mad and glorious sandwich: slices of bread hollowed out for a fried egg, with spiced chicken, cheese, lots of crispy lettuce and various sauces. • This is the perfect country for your first (easy) family adventure A small but perfectly formed parcel of lamprais makes the perfect on-the-go meal. Made of tiny grains of samba rice cooked in chicken stock and pandan leaf, and served with a mixed meat curry, fragrant aubergine moju, ash plantain, an insanely funky prawn belachang (paste), crispy meatballs and other fun surprises, each parcel is wrapped in a banana leaf and steamed. The best places to snag one are from Mrs W's on Pedris Rd, where you should call up and pre-order, or from Dutch Burgher Union in central Colombo where you can usually pick one up on the fly (@TheDutchBurgherUnion). As you escape the city and begin to feel the charm of Sri Lanka's south coast, you find simpler, and sometimes more westernised spots, often seemingly in a sea of flat whites, shakshuka and matcha lattes. For a real Sri Lankan fix, the coast is also covered with authentic roti shops serving all types: godhamba (thin, stretchy, soft), stuffed rotis (perhaps with egg or curried beef or spiced potato), and sweet ones (with banana and other fun flavours). No 1 Dewmini Roti Shop in Mirissa is a good option, where you can wolf down a vegetable roti with lots of sambols (@no.1_dewmini_roti_shop_). For a more innovative take and a great view, try Mr Sunil's Roti and Juice Shop in Ahangama, where Mr Sunil serves up his own creation: a freshly fried roti, crispy egg, sambols (kicky condiment-style accompaniments) and some noodles, which you can slurp down alongside a king coconut before a palm-tree lined beach (Matara Rd). • 13 of the best Sri Lanka tours The south coast can get perilously hot, and to cool down, Sri Lankans love to drink milkshakes — with various riffs on ice cream sundaes with neon jellies. But perhaps the best-loved is an iced Milo — a drink that many countries have adopted as their own. A delightful spot for one is Kai Ahangama, a relaxed, beach-facing café where you can also try various Sri Lankan-inspired cocktails (@kai_ahangama). Once known as Chinese rolls and now simply as rolls, these breaded, fried crispy logs of curried goodness are my favourite Sri Lankan teatime snack — spicy, crunchy and delicious. One of the country's finest comes in the city of Matara, one you might be driving through en route to Galle. There are four branches of Lanka Rolls there and my favourite is on Hakmana Rd where they are fried to perfection ( Soft, pillowy, brioche-like buns stuffed with something spicy are a Sri Lankan trademark 'short eat' — a snack perfect for a long train journey or breakfast on the go. Colombo has some classic bakeries — New Torrington Bakery (Thimbirigasyaya Rd), and the national chain Perera & Sons ( — but once in the south, keep your eyes and ears peeled for choon paan or tune bread. These tiny tuk-tuks have been converted into mobile bakeries, each with their own loud ice cream-style siren call. Try buns with seeni sambol (a spiced onion relish), vegetable (which means spiced potato, carrot and lots of fragrant herbs) or my favourite, malu or fish buns, stuffed with delicious spiced fish, potato and lots of green chilli. • Read our full guide to Sri Lanka Eaten as a light fruit pickle or fresh and simply doused in lime, acharu is a great way to sample some of Sri Lanka's amazing fruits, and widely available on the beach all over the south coast. You can try mango (ripe or green), pineapple, guava, veralu (an olive-like fruit) and many of the island's citrus fruits such as ceylon tangerine and pomelo. I love to pick them up at sunset from many of the small vendors around Galle Fort as you walk the ramparts and enjoy the sea air. The port of Hambantota, in the deep south of Sri Lanka, where my grandfather ran a series of small shops, has become a haven for my favourite sweet: rich, gelatinous, black dodol. Originating in Indonesia, it is made of jaggery, rice flour and coconut milk, patiently hand-stirred until a mass of smooth, soft and gooey dark jelly forms. A fantastic outpost of Dilani Kalu Dodol is a ten-minute tuk-tuk ride from the fort, and where you can buy some by the kilo to chomp as you explore the old town (@dilanikaludodo).Cynthia Shanmugalingam is chef proprietor of Rambutan, Borough Market, London and author of Rambutan: Recipes from Sri Lanka (Bloomsbury £26). To order a copy go to or call 020 3176 2935. Free UK standard P&P on online orders over £25. Special discount available for Times+ members
New York Times
28-04-2025
- New York Times
A Sri Lankan Feast on a Tropical Modernist Estate
In March 2021, a year into the pandemic, the British Sri Lankan chef Cynthia Shanmugalingam, now 42, was quarantining at a hotel in Ahangama, a town on Sri Lanka's southern coast. She'd traveled from her home in London and was self-isolating ahead of a six-month-long stay with her parents in Nelliady, at the island's northern tip, where she was planning to write her first cookbook. Eventually, she completed a draft of 'Rambutan,' as she titled it (and as she would later call her restaurant in London's Borough Market that opened in 2023). But a less expected outcome of those weeks alone was that she met her future partner, the 46-year-old entrepreneur Joe Lenora; he was based nearby and they started talking online. Last January, they returned to Sri Lanka to get married. For a venue, they chose Lunuganga, the former country residence of the Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey Bawa. A leader of the Tropical Modernism movement, Bawa lived and worked on the former rubber plantation, in the beach town of Bentota, for nearly 40 years before his death in 2003, when its care was taken over by a group of his close friends now known as the Geoffrey Bawa and Lunuganga Trust. Today the property — which sits on the shore of the vast Dedduwa Lake and includes 12 acres of lush gardens — operates as a 10-room hotel, although it retains the feel of a private retreat, with worn tile floors, whitewashed walls and furniture and objects from Bawa's collection. 'There are different chairs and tables around the place, or in front of a vista, where [Bawa] would like to take tea or eat lunch,' Shanmugalingam says. 'It has an intimate, personal quality.' On a warm evening last month, Shanmugalingam was back at the house, this time at the invitation of the Lunuganga Trust, which had asked her to host a dinner there. It was the first in a series of collaborative events between the chef and the property celebrating the region's indigenous and heirloom produce. The gathering included a mix of designers, environmentalists and self-described seed nerds, each of whom had traveled an hour and a half up the west coast from Colombo, Sri Lanka's capital. The festivities began with cocktails beside a butterfly-shaped pond, which shimmered with fireflies as the sun set over the lake, then continued with a family-style feast of lagoon prawns and crab and a jubilant cake-decorating spectacle that took place just moments before a storm rolled in. As the rain fell, the guests sought shelter and one last drink in Bawa's ocher-walled former office, where the scents of TK and TK plants in the garden mingled with the wet night air. It was, Shanmugalingam says, 'the most magical dinner I've done.' Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
