Sri Lankan refugee women bring culinary delicacies to a food festival in Chennai

Olai Puttu, a restaurant based in Thoothukudi, specialises in traditional Sri Lankan food prepared by women from refugee camps in and around Thoothukudi. It is supported by NGOs Organisation For Elangai Refugees Rehabilitation (OfERR), UNHCR and Tamil Nadu Government. It serves dishes such an puttu, idiyappam and meen kuzhambu prepared by the women.
| Photo Credit: N. Rajesh

A women prepping masalas
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

As you read this, a group of Sri Lankan women from Thoothukudi — from their refugee camps in the city — are on their way to Chennai with bags of pre-prepped masalas, spices, and freshly ground rice flour. This is for the upcoming two-day Refugee Food Festival, Oorum Unnavum, to commemorate World Refugee Day themed on Hope away from Home.

It is organised by the State Government and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees  (UNHCR)in partnership with the Organisation for Eelam Refugees’ Rehabilitation (OfERR), Advantage Foods (Hot Breads, Writer’s Café), among other stakeholders with the guidance of the State Government. 

Pol sambol
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

All set to have a stall at the festival, the women have been busy prepping all week. “They have dry roasted masalas, and ground condiments like cinnamon, cardamom, and pepper for their unique Sri Lankan masalas. Rice flour was cleaned, ground in the mill, sieved, and then packaged,” says Sinnathamby Sooriyakumary, secretary, OfERR.

Visitors can look forward to dishes such as puttu with fish curry, egg roll, prawn curry, string hoppers, vegetarian, chicken, and fish meals, and varied types of buns, among other delicacies. Also joining the Sri Lankan women are refugees from Afghan and Myanmar (residing in Chennai) who will set up a stall each with delicacies such as Kabuli pulao, channa soup, etc. 

Olai Puttu, a restaurant based in Thoothukudi, specialises in traditional Sri Lankan food prepared by women from refugee camps in and around Thoothukudi.
| Photo Credit:
N. Rajesh

“Last year, in partnership with NGOs, led by the Commissionerate of Rehabilitation a skill assessment of Sri Lankan refugees was done across the State. They expressed interest in running businesses within the camps or in their vicinity. Traditional Sri Lankan food has good market potential and we decided to tap into it,” explains a representative from the UNHCR, adding how skill training and assistance is provided by the Government to over 56,000 refugees living in the 104 camps and outside in Tamil Nadu.

String hoppers
| Photo Credit:
N. Rajesh

“The women will be preparing a traditional Sri Lankan lunch, and the event aims to not just provide the refugees a platform, but for them to get business leads and their skills to be acknowledged. Operational expenses are borne by us, and all sale proceeds go directly to the refugees,” he elaborates. The women, Sooriyakumary says, are excited. “ Though they have participated in such events in the past — like the food stall set up this January on Elliot’s Beach selling Sri Lankan snacks — this one is different. They will be serving an entire lunch (meals priced upwards of ₹160) and also working with other communities.”

On June 24 and 25 at Semmozhi Poonga, Cathedral Road, from Noon to 8 pm. Pre-bookings for the lunch will close on June 22 (for Saturday) and June 23 (for Sunday). For details, call 9176483735 or email [email protected]