In all our cooking, we stick to these principles:
- As far as possible, we use the best, fresh, SRI LANKAN produce, whether vegetables, salad, meat, poultry, fish or whatever. We only use imported foods when absolutely necessary. (For example: olives & olive oil, parmesan cheese, walnut, apple, grapes, wheat flour, wines, etc)
- We will always use fresh fruits and vegetables in preference to canned or frozen products. What we offer therefore depends on what is available in the local markets.
- For meat and fish, we use known, trusted suppliers whose standards of food hygiene we can depend on.
There is a market garden at Rangala House and many of our vegetables, herbs and spices are home-grown. We have our own chickens providing free-range eggs. We also have two pure-bred Jersey milkers so the provenance of our dairy products is also assured.
We do not offer a conventional menu with a set number of limited options. Rather, we invite you to tell us what type of dishes you would like and we then tailor our cuisine as precisely as possible to your taste. Please tell us: would you like Sri Lankan cooking or international? Hot curries or mild? Any vegetarian or vegan requirements? Kosher or other special diets? Any particular favourite likes? Or dislikes?
We will always invite you to meet and talk to Nuwantha, our resident chef.
Here are a few examples of the dishes which have been firm favourites at Rangala House over the years:
The following are always available at BREAKFAST
- Fresh fruits
- Yoghurt,
- Buffalo curd (with kithul syrup)
- Cereals
- Toast (white or brown bread)
- Marmalade, jams,Vegemite & other spreads
- Eggs (fried, poached, boiled, scrambled or omelette – exactly to your specification)
- Bacon, pork sausage, fried tomato, mushroom
If you would prefer a Sri Lankan breakfast, please tell us the day before. Hoppers with seenisambol, string hoppers, potato curry etc – all are available.
A highly recommended option is GotuKolu Kanda – a soup made with gotukolu – a local fresh green leaf (highly prized as a health food) with fresh ginger & garlic. It is delicious and is also a popular alternative at lunchtime.
A typical LUNCH might include:
- Green salad with rocket, wild sorrel, nasturtium leaf & bell pepper
- Tomato & watermelon salad,
- Nuwantha’s Waldorf salad (it includes fresh mango)
- Carrot and orange salad
- Home-smoked ham
- Freshly made vegetable quiche
- Paté of chicken liver & brandy
- Cauliflower or broccoli cheese
- Cold chicken
- Rice salads
- Potato salad
- Fettucine with sundried tomatoes
- Fresh white & brown bread
Followed by Dessert – see below for some examples
Here are some favourite DINNER dishes
Starters:
- Prawn, quail egg & avocado salad
- Garlic prawns
- Paté & karapincha crackers
- Fish mousse & salad
- Cheese soufflé
- Fresh soups – e.g. celery, pumpkin & mango, spinach & sorrel & many more
- Crudités with homemade houmous
Mains:
The most popular option is our huge range of authentic Sri Lankan curries with papadum, Nuwantha’s homemade chutneys, basmati or red rice and all the trimmings. The level of chilli can be adjusted to your taste.
Other favourites:
- Pan fried Seer fish with parsley sauce or cumin butter
- Casserole of wild boar with sundried pineapple & tomato
- Fillet of pork or chicken with fresh rosemary sauce
- Chicken or pork satay with peanut, lime & chilli sauce
- Pumpkin & cheese bake
- Traditional spaghetti bolognaise with parmesan
- Fried rice to your design
Sides:
Rice (basmati, red, cinnamon, etc) ❖ Potato (boiled with fresh parsley butter, sauté, mashed, wedges, etc) ❖ Roasted vegetables, including pumpkin, carrot, leek & onion ❖ Baked aubergine ❖ Courgettes pan fried in butter ❖ Ratatouille ❖ Any salad combination
Desserts:
- Warm fruit salad with brandy
- Chocolate mousse with dark rum
- Lime Chaminda (it’s a Rangala House secret – but think of a gingery, limey, runny cheesecake!)
- Ice cream with rhubarb compote & brandied sponge cake
- Rich fruit pudding flambéed with nuts and raisins
- Lime or rhubarb soufflé
- Wattalepan
- Crème caramel
- Crème brûlée
With any meal:
Duckwari single estate B.O.P.F tea or Fresh Sri Lankan coffee. Guests can visit our Market Garden where we are currently developing our own ½-acre field of tea. Our home-grown Green Tea has proved a big success.