New Year Treat- Aasmee and Kudu Dawla (කුඩු දවුල)

Aasmee and Kudu Dawla

කුඩු දවුල

Its thickening properties are used to make popular New Year treat in Ceylon called Asmi.   Aasmee is a traditional, popular Sri Lankan deep fried sweet treat, essential ingredient for April New Year (Avurudu). 

It is a crispy, web like, or lacy made from rice flour and coconut milk, often mixed with Daul Kurundu leaf juice.

It is deep fried a second time, which makes it extra crispy. The mixture is fried in coconut oil, then topped with colored sugar syrup.

The batter traditionally uses juice from Dawul Kurundu, though okra (ladies' fingers) juice is now commonly used as a substitute. 

The batter is poured into hot oil in a web like pattern, fried, and then rested for a few days to develop its unique texture.

Asmi represents the festive spirit of prosperity and is a major highlight among other traditional sweets (Kavili). 

Typically finished with a treacle or pink coloured sugar syrup drizzled over the top. My major interst here is to finish my book on "Exotic Fruits and Vegetables of CEYLON". 

Unfortunately, my research indicates that locals tend to call local species often deriding/degrading them as Wal Del against imported species Rata Del. 

Additionallly, 80% to 90% now in CEYLON are imported species with larger fruits taking the market share.

Mee Ammba and large mango varieties and banana varities are fast dissappearing. There is an ugly banana variety called Devi Kesel which looks like a sickle. I have no inclination to taste any of these sickle shaped ones which are promoted as good for vision. 

Any fruit with Vitamin A and D promotes vision. Keratomalacia is another name for Vitsmin A deficiency.

Kudu Dawula -Neolitsea cassia

කුඩු දවුල

Kudu Dawula often referred to as Dawul Kurundu  is an endemic tree species found in Ceylon, primarily recognised by the scientific name Neolitsea cassia. 

It belongs to the Lauraceae (laurel) family. 

Also known Neolitsea zeylanica.

A small to medium sized tree, often with thick grey bark and a dense, crowded appearance of leaves at the ends of branches. The leaves are aromatic, ovate to oblong, and distinctly three nerved at the base, often with pale green yellow, silky haired young foliage. The flowers are tiny, pale green yellow flowers are found in compact clusters. The fruit is globose berrie, around 4-12 mm in diameter, which turn red and then dark purple/black when ripe.

The bark and leaves are used in traditional medicine, particularly for treating fractures and skin rashes.

It is a canopy species often found in forests, specifically in less disturbed, higher altitude areas in Ceylon. It acts as a host plant for the Common Bluebottle butterfly (Graphium sarpedon luctatius).

My knowledge of local trees is none to zero. 

We have a tree of this kind grown in front our garden and its branches are chopped regularly and during the dry season when food is scare, the squirrels nibble on the tiny fruits probably as a cure for constipation, (the slime used in Assmee).

We used to use them as pods for our barrel gun made of bamboo stick or for the catapult. 

I have close relative brother five years older than me who is very versatile on local plants as a home garden expert. Lot of information on here including Assmee comes from long discussions I have had with him over the land phone.

This piece is dedicated to him during Avurudu festival in CEYLON.