Shortlisted for the Jane Grigson Trust Award for New Food and Drink Writers

Since Cynthia Shanmugalingam was a young girl, she has worked to piece together a sense of Sri Lanka, her ancestral homeland that she experienced through the wondrous flavors of her immigrant parents’ kitchen in England. In Rambutan, these ingredients, methods, and tastes—combining Javanese, Malay, Indian, Arab, Portuguese, Dutch and British influences—come together to create an irresistible portrait of modern Sri Lankan cuisine.

In more than 80 recipes, Shanmugalingam takes her favorite parts of the island nation’s culinary tradition and adapts them to be accessible and fun for every kitchen: with sticky chicken buriani and spicy stuffed roti, slow-cooked lamb red curry and sambol egg and cheese sandwiches—and with desserts of mango fluff pie and milk toffee and drinks of lemongrass lime soda and boozy tea cocktails, Rambutan is designed to deliver as much edible Sri Lankan joy as possible. Combining luscious recipe photography and stunning candids from the island, this exuberant guide is perfect for home cooks looking to explore the exciting Sri Lankan tradition in Southeast Asian cuisine.