The cuisine of the island nation in the Indian Ocean is spicy, and the food is served at room temperature. At his Berlin restaurant Suriya Kanthi, however, Wijerathna Storz-Vidanage serves up his kohlrabi curry hot.
Image: Lena Ganssmann
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Wijerathna Storz-Vidanage: "I'm very German in some things."
Wijerathna Storz-Vidanage came to Berlin from Sri Lanka 40 years ago as a tourist. He liked it so much that he decided to stay. Far from home and family, he had to learn to take care of himself - so he started to cook. As it turned out, he liked it, so he started inviting friends over to eat. They were so impressed by his cooking skills that they encouraged him to start thinking about opening his own restaurant. And that's just what he did. In 1993, he opened Germany's first fully organic Sri Lankan kitchen. The venture was so successful that he started another four years later - Suriya Kanthi.
Wijerathna Storz-VidanageImage: Lena Ganssmann
Suriya Kanthi in Berlin's Prenzlauer Berg district
Opening up in 1997, Suriya Kanthi immediately scored points. Wijerathna Storz-Vidanage lovingly transformed the former beer pub into a place to enjoy the exotic Ski Lankan cuisine made from organic ingredients - and it still keeps diners coming back.
50 Kitchens: Sri Lanka in Berlin
05:27
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Kohlrabi curry
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 kohlrabi (turnip) (around 200 g) with leaves
2 garlic cloves
1 medium-sized onion
6-7 curry leaves
1 medium-sized tomato
100-150 ml coconut milk
Cinnamon sticks
1⁄4 t turmeric
1 t curry powder
1⁄2 t mustard seed
Salt
Ground pepper
Oil for frying
Preparation:
Dice garlic, slice onions into thin strips, and dice tomatoes. Chop kohlrabi into long strips around 3 mm thick and 3 cm long. Then chop kohlrabi leaves. Sprinkle kohlrabi (without leaves) with 1/2 t salt, cover, and allow to sit for around two minutes.
Select a large pan with a lid or a pot. Heat oil, add mustard seed, and sauté. Add onions and sauté until transparent. Add garlic, curry leaves, turmeric, curry powder, and pepper to pan. Combine kohlrabi leaves and kohlrabi and add to pan. Cover and cook until kohlrabi is cooked through.
Lower heat, add coconut milk and diced tomato, and simmer for two to three minutes uncovered, stirring occasionally. Serve with rice.
Suriya Kanthi prepares kohlrabi curry
The cuisine of the island nation in the Indian Ocean is spicy, and the food is served at room temperature. At his Berlin restaurant Suriya Kanthi, however, Wijerathna Storz-Vidanage serves up his Kohlrabi Curry hot.
Image: Lena Ganssmann
Almost like home
Wijerathna Storz-Vidanage still longs to go back to Sri Lanka during the cold winter months. The only thing that can help break the chill: a good, spicy meal like it's served at Suriya Kanthi. Food is served at room temperature back home, but in Germany, the food has to be steaming when it hits the table. Storz-Vidanage has long since adjusted to the custom - but not to the cold winter weather.
Image: Lena Ganssmann
Cooking as a necessity
"When I came to Germany, I started to cook. When I invited my friends over, I would make something really nice, like a simple sambole or dal curry - different things. They all said, 'Man, Witje, you can really cook well. Why don't you open a restaurant in Berlin and we'll come eat there?'" - Wijerathna Storz-Vidanage
Image: Lena Ganssmann
The sun in the East
The restaurant is located in Prenzlauer Berg, which has undergone transformation since the fall of the Wall. There's a whole lot of handiwork in Suriya Kanthi - which translates as "sunshine" or "sunflower." Wijerathna Storz-Vidanage worked for over a year turning the former pub into his restaurant. Seats from old S-Bahn wagons serve as chairs. The color yellow symbolizes the sun and curry.
Image: Lena Ganssmann
Handiwork
In Sri Lanka, curry does not imply the spice, but a dish. And in kohlrabi curry, not only the tuber is used, but the leaves as well. There are hundreds of ways of whipping up a curry - using vegetables, fish or meat. Curries are a typical dish in the island nation of Sri Lanka, and they are normally eaten there with the hands.
Image: Lena Ganssmann
Exotic organic kohlrabi
"Sri Lanka is a very small island and coconuts grow everywhere. We use a lot of coconut milk in our cuisine - and something very unusual happens with that. We use spices in a different way. There are a lot of smoked and roasted spices. That's very unique. Each dish has ist own, unique flavor." - Wijerathna Storz-Vidanage
Image: Lena Ganssmann
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Restaurant Suriya Kanthi
Knaackstraße 4
10405 Berlin
