Roasted chilies

One time I came home on a light summer evening to see Robert and Aunty Freda standing outside our house. Robert was young and had long hair. Something that Aunty found a little puzzling. She would say, “you have long hair and you like to cook. You are a woman.” She would add that most Sri Lankan men would not cook most of the meals and she would look a little disapprovingly at Robert. But she loved his curries.

I wondered why they were standing outside. Both were coughing. Then I noticed wafting out of the front door, an acrid, throat-catching smell. I learned that they had been roasting chilies. Roasted chilies are a big part in Sri Lankan cooking and add wonderful flavour. Aunty had been giving Robert lessons on how to roast them in a pan.

I was a little surprised that Aunty had been caught out. Then she laughed and confessed that she had actually never done the roasting before. It was normally a job for servants and then it was done outside.

From that day on, Robert found a supplier and bought his roasted chilies.