According to Silva, however, what makes isso vade unique to Sri Lanka is the addition of green chillies and curry leaves (karapincha) into the ground lentil mix. Although karapincha grows in India, Sri Lankan cookery incorporates the leaves into almost every savoury dish, creating a distinctive, zesty aroma. The addition of freshwater prawns to the vade also made sense. Although they are less common than sea water prawns, they are thicker and withstand deep frying much better. A prawn topping also made the vade more visually appealing than a plain lentil patty. The use of chillies, said Silva, is mostly for colour.
