Sri Lankan cuisine is a flavourful experience that is created using a combination of herbs, spices, fish, vegetables, rice, fruits and more superfoods than you can count! The cuisine is highly centered around many varieties of rice, as well as coconut which is a ubiquitous plant throughout the country.
Being an island with a tropical climate, coconuts, fresh seafood, vegetables and spices are the essence of Sri Lankan culinary delights. A typical traditional Sri Lankan plate is pescatarian based with a predominant plant-based approach.
With so many options available – here’s our top 5 picks of must-eats when in Sri Lanka.
String Hoppers
A popular breakfast food in Sri Lanka, string hoppers are made using red (brown) or white rice flour, and are generally enjoyed with pol sambol (a coconut and chili mix), dahl or potato curry, and a meat curry of your choosing.
Hoppers
Hoppers are a Sri Lankan version of thin pancakes but with crispy edges. Shaped like a bowl and made from fermented rice flour, coconut milk & coconut water – the batter is fried in a wok and served with popular condiments such as lunu miris (chili sambal) and seeni sambol (caramelised onions). Be a little adventurous and opt for perhaps a chicken or fish curry and ask for an egg hopper.
Kottu
Kottu is a traditional Sri Lankan dish made of roti (flat bread), vegetables, oil, spices and egg/ chicken or cheese. Originally considered a working class meal, Kottu is now a popular meal after a night out and can be found at any restaurant around Sri Lanka.
Fast, tasty, cheap and made as spicy as you could want it!
Rice & Curry
The quintessential Sri Lankan dish is a nutritious plate of rice & curry – generally enjoyed for lunch. Sri Lankans love their spices and a lot of preparation goes into making a good curry – which is enjoyed over steaming red (brown) or white rice. Most Sri Lankan rice & curry meals include one meat curry, and up to 3 vegetable-based curries.
Sri Lankan Sweet Meats
Sri Lankan Sweet Meats – a.k.a Kavili is a very traditional style of food that is generally had in celebration of an auspicious occasion, and particularly at Sri Lankan New Year in April.
Sweet Meats are generally enjoyed with milk rice, and come prepared as deep-fried savories made from jaggery, sugar and coconut.
How many of these have you tried?
