Amali Kannangara is the founder of authentic Sri Lankan cookery business, Rasa Rahasa. With a ‘how to cook perfect rice’ workshop taking place at Thrive Community Cafe and Workshop Venue in South Lopham today, Amali shares her story
My name is Amali Kannangara. I am a 39-year-old, single mother to a beautiful nine-year-old girl, who is soon to turn 10. I am from Sri Lanka, born and bred. At the age of 19 in 2005, I moved to the UK to study Forensic Science, at the University of Lincoln. Three years later, in 2008, I left the UK and went back home to Sri Lanka after University.
It was only in 2018, my now ex-husband, and I decided to move our family to the UK, and we did. Not long after we got to the UK, he left us, and since then I’ve been a single mum. It was not what I expected after I moved over 6000 miles across the ocean to start a family.
I am now a stay-at-home mum. I have worked at two places since then, but work can never be full time or permanent with having to look after my daughter as her father is only minimally involved in her life. But it was during the Covid pandemic that I started Rasa Rahasa and that is just a small little venture I am doing in the meantime on top of being a full-time mother to my daughter.
Cooking has always been a passion of mine and it’s something I find very therapeutic too. So, at the moment I would say I am a cook, but not the overly famous kind. But it’s a big passion of mine and something if given the chance to, I would love to expand on in the future.
What has brought you to Norfolk? And how have you found life here so far?
I visited the UK for the first time when I was 11 years old, I have family in London and other parts of the UK, and I have visited them in between the years too.
However, when it was time to choose a place to live, I told my ex-husband that I did NOT want to live in a city. So anywhere but a town/city and he was working in Suffolk so we decided it would suit us best if we stayed in East Anglia. And I could not be happier that out of ALL the counties and areas we could have found to live in peace and quiet, that we ended up in what I would personally call it, THE BEST part of England (East Anglia), we are also one of the safest two counties in the country too. I love my quiet country life. I wouldn’t change it for the world.
How have you got involved with The Pantry and leading a cookery workshop at Thrive?
Rasa Rahasa is my own venture which I began in 2020 September amidst the Covid pandemic. I had never heard of The Pantry before until one of my friends, whom I’ve only known for a few years, mentioned it to me. Then knowing that Thrive and the workshop space was opening, my friend suggested I get together with Heidi and maybe do a cook workshop. Something I’ve never done before but am extremely excited to do. So good friends and lots of community value is how I’ve been pushed towards Thrive, The Pantry and its growing community.
How important is it to you to your knowledge of authentic Sri Lanka cookery, with Rasa Rahasa?
Rasa Rahasa was never about sharing my knowledge of cooking; it was a way for me to support myself and my daughter when times were hard. However, I have come to notice that there are a lot of people out there who really enjoy my food and want to learn more about Sri Lanka and the culture too.
I’ve even been to a small Women’s institute gathering in Rickinghall last year to give them some food and speak of Sri Lanka and the food and its culture.
I think it’s important because a lot of people understand Indian food and think it’s the same as Sri Lanka but there’s a difference in taste, ingredients and even in the way food is prepped and cooked.
What can you say about your ‘how to cook perfect rice’ workshop?
I never realised how much people want to learn about cooking rice, as everything seems so simple in the Western world where we get boil-in-the-bag rice. You would never find that in Southeast Asia (or would you now?). I’m beginning to wonder! But you definitely would not in Sri Lanka.
Rice is our staple, we had acres and acres full of paddy fields, it would be a shame to be using readymade rice if we did. With the demand, I just really hope that I can do a good job and everyone who attends the workshop takes away some important tips and tricks.
Will it be the first of many similar events?
Yes, we plan to have a curry workshop where I will teach them some Sri Lankan curries. It will all be a learning curve for me, and I will be taking notes for the next sessions.
What are your hopes and dreams for the business?
I have a 5-star kitchen rating and completed my required food hygiene courses and I have a loyal following of customers, however the step I’m taking with Heidi and Thrive at the Fen is where I believe I can start growing bigger than I already have. More exposure for my brand as I cook from home and it’s not as exposed as you would say a Chinese or a chip shop would be in the UK at the moment.
Where can people find out more?
You can find me on Instagram and Facebook. I am on Nextdoor, which is a neighbourhood App, and I am currently advertising in the parish magazine which is local to our villages.
The Learn To Cook Perfect Rice workshop at Thrive, Redgrave and Lopham Fen, South Lopham, today (May 6, 2025). Visit Thrive at The Fen on Facebook.
Featured images – supplied
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