With the koha and the erabudu flowers heralding the Sinhala and Tamil New Year rasa kavili sweetmeats is at the foremost in everybody’s mind. Hiru Wanniarachchi tells us about kalu dodol. a delicious sweetmeat which is very popular especially in Southern Sri Lanka. It is considered a Southern specialty.
Along with the kalu dodol Hiru also talks about kiriya or kiri dodol. This is specially made for an alms gining called the Kiri Amma Dana and is offered to seven mothers.
Kalu Dodol
Kalu dodol has become a staple in Sri Lankan cuisine today as well as kavum, kokis, asmee, and many others. There are a number of opinions about kalu dodol. There is an opinion that it was a special delicacy in the ancient royal palaces and after that it has become popular among the people. Another view is that it originated from the Dutch. Others say that it is a special delicacy of Ganadewiyo or God Ganesh.However, kalu dodol is very popular throughout Sri Lanka today.
Kalu dodal is also very popular at the New Year’s table. It is also produced in and around famous shrines. Today, it is well known throughout Sri Lanka as a domestic industry.
Kalu dodol is considered to be the main dessert of God Ganesh and is widely used in offerings today. These are very common in the sacred areas of Kataragama, Tissamaharama, Anuradhapura, and Polonnaruwa. There is a very high demand for kalu dodol in Ruhuna.