Kalu dodol ( si, කලු දොදොල්,

Tamil Tamil may refer to: * Tamils, an ethnic group native to India and some other parts of Asia **Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka also called ilankai tamils **Tamil Malaysians, Tamil people native to Malaysia * Tamil language, nativ ...

: தொடோல்) is a sweet dish, a type of

dodol ''Dodol'' is a sweet toffee-like sugar palm-based confection commonly found in Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent. Originating from the culinary traditions of Indonesia, it is also popular in Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, the Philipp ...

that is popular in Sri Lanka. The dark and sticky dish consists mainly of kithul jaggery (from the

sap Sap is a fluid transported in xylem cells (vessel elements or tracheids) or phloem sieve tube elements of a plant. These cells transport water and nutrients throughout the plant. Sap is distinct from latex, resin, or cell sap; it is a separ ...

of the

toddy palm Toddy palm is a common name for several species of palms used to produce palm wine, palm sugar and jaggery. Species so used and named include: *''Arenga pinnata'', the areng palm *''Borassus flabellifer'', the palmyra palm *''Caryota'', the fishta ...

rice flour Rice flour (also rice powder) is a form of flour made from finely milled rice. It is distinct from rice starch, which is usually produced by steeping rice in lye. Rice flour is a common substitute for wheat flour. It is also used as a thickening ...

and coconut milk. Kalu dodol is a very difficult and time-consuming dish to prepare. The Hambanthota area is famous for the production of this dish.

Origins and history

Kalu dodol is believed to have been introduced to Sri Lanka by Malay migrants, perhaps from

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...

. It has also been attributed to the

Portuguese Portuguese may refer to: * anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal ** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods ** Portuguese language, a Romance language *** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language ** Portu ...

, who occupied parts of the country during the 16th and 17th centuries. With the introduction of artificial ingredients in recent times, the preparation of kalu dodol has occasionally deviated from the traditional recipes. Kalu dodol, along with other traditional sweets, is commonly prepared and consumed in celebration of the Sinhala New Year. As the process of making the dish is difficult and time-consuming, nowadays most people don't make kalu dodol themselves, instead preferring to buy it from shops.

Kalu dodol capital

The Hambanthota area in southern Sri Lanka is famous for kalu dodol, and is sometimes referred to as the kalu dodol capital. The kalu dodol industry is a major source of income for many people in the area. The kalu dodol shops in Hambanthota are frequently visited by pilgrims coming to visit the nearby holy town of

Kataragama Kataragama ( si, කතරගම, translit=Kataragama , ta, கதிர்காமம், translit=Katirkrāmam) is a pilgrimage town sacred to Hindu, Buddhist and indigenous Vedda people of Sri Lanka. People from South India also go there to ...

. In 2011, the Sri Lankan government allocated Rs. 134 million for setting up kalu dodol sales centres in the Hambanthota area, in an effort to develop the industry.

Description

The main ingredients of kalu dodol are kithul jaggery (from the

treacle Treacle () is any uncrystallised syrup made during the refining of sugar.Oxford Dictionary The most common forms of treacle are golden syrup, a pale variety, and a darker variety known as black treacle, similar to molasses. Black treacle has ...

of the Caryota urens plant),

and coconut milk. Other ingredients such as cashews,

cardamom Cardamom (), sometimes cardamon or cardamum, is a spice made from the seeds of several plants in the genera ''Elettaria'' and ''Amomum'' in the family Zingiberaceae. Both genera are native to the Indian subcontinent and Indonesia. They are r ...

and

raisin A raisin is a dried grape. Raisins are produced in many regions of the world and may be eaten raw or used in cooking, baking, and brewing. In the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, and Australia, the word ''raisin'' is reserved for the ...

s may be added. It is dark brown in colour and is a thick, sticky and sweet jelly-like dish with a "slightly granulated" texture. To make the dish, the kithul jaggery and thin coconut milk is mixed and boiled in a large pan until the mixture is reduced to half the original amount. The rice flour, thick coconut milk and the rest of the ingredients are then added. It is necessary to continuously stir the mixture while simmering, to prevent it from burning and sticking to the pan. The oil that floats to the surface of the mixture must also be repeatedly removed. Once the mixture becomes thick, it is poured into a tray, pressed, and left to cool. This labour-intensive process can take up to nine hours. The firm kalu dodol is cut into pieces before serving.

References

{{Sri Lankan cuisine Sri Lankan desserts and sweets Foods containing coconut Sinhalese New Year foods