Lamprais Sale!
Written By Omandee Karunanayake
On August 9, we hosted our very first lamprais cooking fundraiser, finally tying the bow on 3 weeks of hard work.
The History of Lamprais
Being a significant remnant of the Dutch Burgher population, Lamprais is a traditional Sri Lankan delicacy that is enjoyed on special occasions and never fails to bring Sri Lankans together. The word Lamprais itself, pronounced “lump rice,” is derived from the Dutch word lomprijst.
The dish consists of flavorful rice and very specific curries, wrapped in a beautiful aromatic banana leaf. The flavor of the banana leaf is infused into the meal, doubling as a preservation method and cooked without ingredients that spoil quickly such as coconut milk, dal, etc. However, with the use of modern-day technology (freezers!), we didn’t have to worry about storage, but still attempted to keep the authenticity of the original dish.
Over 40 boxes ready to be packaged with the lamprais!
The Atlanta-Sri Lankan Community
The Sri Lankan Community here in Atlanta is so supportive and was a huge factor in the success of the fundraiser. Each packet was sold for $20. Making personal calls to the families, we totaled 39 orders and raised $780! A portion of these funds will go to Anakatawa Primary School in Kakirawa, Sri Lanka, giving students access to better hygiene and safer learning environment. Click here to learn more.
We carefully assembled and packaged each box with our logo sticker, a handwritten thank you note, and baking instructions.
Aware of dietary restrictions, we gave two choices for the meat: chicken and tuna. We got many calls back the following week as the families gave their compliments to the cooking, appreciated the taste of home, and expressed their gratitude towards the project.
“It felt like we were bringing the community together a little bit”
- Shoela Ettampola (17, Co-Founder)
Here was the final assortment of portions:
Rice
Seene Sambol (Caramelized Onions)
Batu Moju (Fried Eggplant)
Twice cooked egg (Boiled and then fried)
Chicken curry or Fish Curry
Cutlet
Ash Pumpkin Fry
Thank you to:
Our parents, who guided us through the cooking and teaching us the details of the dish passed down for generations. We couldn’t have done this without our families’ support throughout the process. I think this project really inspired my own siblings to get involved and showed them how exactly they could make a difference. Their excitement is something I am eager to see in future members.
