I asked Sharmmila Rajkumar, “What brought a Sri Lankan born British woman to Hagersville?” Her answer was, “It was for love!”
Sharmmila was born in Sri Lanka but grew up in India during the civil war years. She later returned to Sri Lanka before moving to the United Kingdom to pursue her studies. A divorcee with two children, she built a life for herself as both an entrepreneur and a politician before destiny led her to meet Raj Kumar through a mutual friend. Their friendship blossomed into love, and together they began a new chapter.
Today, Sharmmila calls Canada home, where she has embraced rural life with Raj on their goat farm outside Hagersville in Oneida Township. Moving from city life to the countryside was a big change, but one that has brought her peace, purpose, and happiness.
She is an active member of the Fisherville Lions Club, where she holds the position of District Chair for Lions Quest and Mental Health Initiatives. Sharmmila has a special connection to the Lions Club stemming from a childhood memory. When she was 7 years old, she took piano lessons; at the same time as her lesson, in the building next door, a Lions Club meeting was taking place. She watched how the Lions Club members helped people in her community and the impact of that stayed with her.
The stew recipe that Sharmmila has shared is a classic Sri Lankan recipe that she enjoyed while growing up and continues to make. There were a few ingredients that I was not familiar with, so I asked for more explanation. Tapioca in this recipe is the root vegetable cassava (aka yuca); it is often used in African and South American dishes. Long beans are a variety often used in Asian cooking, but green beans can be substituted. Jackfruit is a tropical tree fruit. When ripe, its yellow flesh is eaten as fruit, but the white seeds are used in cooking, as indicated in this recipe. Tamarind is a main ingredient in Asian and Indian cooking; it is a vegetable usually sold here as a paste or pulp. All these items are available at the larger grocery stores. Enjoy!
Sri Lankan Stew
- 1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- 1 cup raw rice, rinsed
- ½ cup tapioca, peeled and cubed
- 1 cup long beans, chopped
- 1 cup pumpkin, peeled and cubed
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 3-4 green chilies, slit (optional)
- 6-8 jackfruit seeds, peeled and halved
- 6 cups water (enough to submerge ingredients)
- 3 Tablespoons tamarind puree (or to taste)
- 1 can (400 ml) coconut milk
- Combine and cook rice, tapioca, long beans, pumpkin, onion, green chilies, jackfruit seeds, and salt in a large pot.
- Pour in enough water to fully submerge all the ingredients (about 6 cups). Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer until all ingredients are tender and rice is fully cooked. This may take around 30-40 minutes.
- Once the vegetables and rice are cooked, stir in the tamarind puree. Simmer for another 5 minutes to allow the tangy flavour to absorb into the stew.
- Pour in the coconut milk and stir well. Let it come to a gentle boil, then simmer for another 3-5 minutes. Do not overboil after adding the coconut milk to prevent curdling.
- Turn off the heat and let the stew rest for a few minutes before serving. Serve hot as a main dish or as a side with your choice of bread.
