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Sri Lankan food is full of colour and unique flavours, having been shaped by many historical, geographical and cultural factors. The cuisine focuses on different varieties of rice as well as coconut which is found all throughout the country. Given its historical role as a hub in the historic sea trade routes, traders brought new and exotic ingredients to the island, all of which have helped to form the delicious food in Sri Lanka as we know it today.
Discover the most popular Sri Lankan food in this Sri Lanka Travel Guide:
Papadam : These are very thin Sri Lankan cookies made from lentil flour. They can be enjoyed as chips at the beginning of the meal or as an accompaniment to the traditional rice and curry. Sometimes Papadam can be flavoured with cumin.
Patties: These little fried doughnuts stuffed with vegetables or fish, look similar to the tacos found in other cuisines (Mexican, for example). These are generally eaten as a snack with tea.
Hoppers : Kids love this crepe made from rice flour - one of the highlights of Sri Lankan food. The size of a small pancake, but very thin, hoppers are prepared in a special pan with a curved bottom. It is often garnished with a fried egg and served with chutneys, coconut and spicy sauces. The string hopper is one of the variants of this dish, in the form of noodles. Sri Lankans usually eat them for breakfast/
Biryani : Sri Lankan food has been highly influenced by Indian cuisine and biryani is one clear example of that. Biryani is a flavoured rice dish with vegetables or chicken. Served in the form of a pyramid, biryani is a dish in itself, embellished with different spices of the country and sometimes decorated with cashew nuts.
Rice and Curry : Probably the most essential Sri Lankan food, a kind of Indian thali, that Sri Lankans eat every day and often several times a day. This traditional Sri Lankan dish is composed of white rice served with different curries. Vegetables, lentils, fish or meat are cooked in a sauce with an excellent blend of cumin, pepper, saffron, turmeric, coconut milk, and chilli. This dish offers a varied meal full of the flavours of Sri Lanka.
Kotthu Roti : Kothu Roti, a speciality that originated in South India is eaten a lot in the north of Sri Lanka and often in the evening. Very hearty, Kothu is a clever mix of sliced flatbread, vegetables, meat, egg and various spices. The preparation of Kothu is a surprising show in itself. You will see (and hear) the skill of the cook who finely chops all the ingredients with metal pallets.
Lamprai : A very economical and nutritious meal, lamprai is spicy rice served with vegetables and meat, cooked in a banana leaf. Influenced by the Dutch, this speciality is the pride of the Burgher community of Sri Lanka and a must-try Sri Lankan food.
Sambol : Also called "Pol Sambol", this dish is a speciality prepared with grated coconut and garnished with finely chopped onions, lemon and red peppers. Sambol is eaten at all meals, and you'll definitely get a chance to try a couple of varieties with your Sri Lankan food.
Arrack: Arrack is an alcoholic drink, usually taken after tea. The arrack comes from the distillation of the sap of the coconut palm flowers. Some arracks are of better quality than others and serve as a base for cocktails.
The different spices : Famous for its spices, Sri Lanka has nothing to envy its neighbouring country, India. During your trip to Sri Lanka, visit one of the spice gardens in the Matale region. You'll learn more about cinnamon, turmeric, pepper, nutmeg, cardamom, vanilla, saffron, and cloves - important spices which make up the unique flavours in Sri Lankan food
Desserts and pastries : Rice is often used as a base in desserts. Kiribath is a rice cooked in coconut milk that is often shared during the Sinhalese and Tamil New Year. Honey cakes such as Panivalalu, are a local delight. Finally the most well-known is probably the Watalappam, introduced by the Malays, it is a kind of sweet coconut milk pudding with caramel, eggs, cashews and cinnamon. The perfect combination to go after a hearty meal of Sri Lankan food
For a lighter dessert, opt for Curd made from local yoghurt buffalo milk, which is flavoured with kitul (palm honey) that looks like maple syrup. Finally, many tropical fruits will make you happy in Sri Lanka. Fruit salads are often composed of bananas, papayas, pineapple, passion fruit.
Contact your Shanti Travel Expert to sign you up for a cooking class in Sri Lanka during your trip!
