Dehradun, July 28 -- Two decades ago, Tiger was selected for a professional military course where fellow student officers from Sri Lanka were also being trained.

It was reciprocal to invite and be invited over meals - a good opportunity for social interactions and to imbibe a slice of their cuisine.

"Kaha Bath" was one of many dishes that I relished at their homes: rice cooked in coconut milk and saffron with other subsidiary yet integral condiments.

Sri Lankan cuisine has an amalgamated influence of English, Portuguese, Dutch, Malay, Arab, and Indian cultures, as the island rested on the spice trade route in antiquity and was itself a spice-producing nation.

The art of baking a variety of breads and tempering with spices was adopted ...