Sri Lanka is not only the land of pristine beaches and unconventional tea, but also delicious curries and rice. sri lankan cuisine It is similar to South Indian food, yet it has its own distinct flavor and taste that cannot be ignored. The impact of years of colonization and the strong influence of different countries can be seen in the mix of different dishes, curry mixes and unique types of bread: thatti paan and roast paan served in Sri Lanka.
You may wonder how it is possible for such a small country to have so much variety of food. It is not only the diverse flora and fauna, but also their ethnic diversity, that has made Sri Lankan cuisine so unique. Long ago, in the 15th and 16th centuries, traders from India, Europe, Arabia, Africa and the Malay world came to Sri Lanka and brought their original dishes, different cooking styles and techniques. For example, Lampreys is a Dutch-influenced dishmost of Desserts are Portuguese-influencedWhereas The British influence is roast beef and roast chicken.
- assamese – The magic of milk and cinnamon
- Gotu Kola Mallum Sambola – Chopped greens with coconut
- Poles – A spicy dish of jackfruit
- mature – spicy lentils
- my wombat – pickle of one brinjal
- Fish Ambul Thiyal – a salted fish dish
- come – Sri Lankan Hamburger
- Kukul Maas Curry – a delicious curry
- Lampreys – Marinated meat in sambal chili sauce
- Sri Lankan Egg Hopper – Pancakes for breakfast
- Kiribath – Delicious combination of rice and coconut milk
- Bell– a South Asian fruit
Best Vegetarian Sri Lankan Dishes
Here is a specially curated list of some delicious vegetarian Sri Lankan dishes that are too good to miss. Keep scrolling down and reading!
1. Asmi – The magic of milk and cinnamon
Milk is mixed with rice flour, which is kneaded continuously. Later, cinnamon leaves are squeezed into a cup of coconut milk, which is used to make the batter. It is then deep fried in oil and garnished with treacle syrup. Enjoy this delicious snacky dish with your family and friends during evening conversations.
Ingredients Used: Rice flour, cinnamon leaves, jaggery, and coconut milk.
2. Gotu Kola Mallum Sambola – Chopped Greens with Coconut
This Sri Lankan dish is like a healthy green salad prepared by mixing chopped green vegetables, basic spices available, coconut, chillies, onions and Umbalakada fish. Enjoy this green leafy and spicy vegetable with hot white rice for lunch.
Ingredients Used: Green vegetables, green chillies, onions, coconut, and Umbalkada fish
Eaten with: Rice and Curry Dishes
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3. Polo – a spicy jackfruit dish
Disclaimer: The image is for representational purposes only.
The spices are dry roasted, small pieces of jackfruit are added to the roasted spices. Mustard seed oil is heated in a pan and garlic, onion, curry leaves, lemongrass and cinnamon are added. Then jackfruit pieces are added to the gravy and coconut mixture is added. Then it is cooked for one hour.
Ingredients Used: Jackfruit, cinnamon, curry leaves, spices, garlic, lemongrass, onion, mustard seeds, and coconut milk.
Eaten with: Rice and Parippu
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4. Parippu – Spicy Lentils
Are you ready for deliciousness? Sri Lankan curry– This delicious Sri Lankan dish is prepared using boiled red lentils. Curry leaves, onion, spices and garlic are added to hot oil and cooked until the curry turns yellow. This delicious and creamy dal or parippu curry will make your ordinary boiled rice taste amazing.
Ingredients Used: Red and yellow lentils, spices, onion, curry leaves, coconut milk, and garlic.
Eaten with: my rice and wambatu
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5. Wambatu Moju – An Eggplant Pickle
Disclaimer: The image is for representational purposes only.
The Sri Lankan dish is an extremely tasty side dish prepared by cutting brinjal into wedges and deep frying it to give it a crispy texture. It is then caramelized with sugar, vinegar, green chillies, red onions and mustard seeds.
Ingredients Used: Eggplant, spices, oil, vinegar, onion, green chilies, and sugar.
Eaten with: Plain Rice and Roasted Paan
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Best Non-Vegetarian Sri Lankan Dishes
Now it’s time for some delicious non-vegetarian Sri Lankan dishes. Here are some of the most popular non-vegetarian food dishes of Sri Lanka:
6. Fish Ambul Thiyal – A salted fish dish
Disclaimer: The image is for representational purposes only.
This is one of the easiest sri lankan cuisine dishes When it comes to preparation. The fish is cut into cubes and then fried in an aromatic mixture of spices. Then it is cooked until some water reduces. Taste this delicious Fish Thiyal to enjoy the taste in your mouth.
Ingredients Used: Pandan leaves, curry leaves, oil, spices, a large and firm fish, and dried goracha.
Eaten with: roasted paan or theti paan
7. Kottu – Sri Lankan Hamburger
A popular Sri Lankan dish, Kottu is prepared using a flat crispy bread called Godamba Roti. The bread is deep fried and sliced, and then vegetables and spices are added to the mixture. It is served with spicy curry sauce. Does it remind you of pasta – Be sure to taste it to find out if it also tastes like pasta.
Ingredients Used: Godamba bread, spices, and vegetables.
Eaten with: Spicy Curry Sauce
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8. Kukul Maas Curry – A delicious curry
Spices are fried in oil, coconut milk and tomato puree are added. The chicken pieces are then mixed in thick gravy and cooked for a while. It tastes best with rice and roti. This is a popular Sri Lankan cuisine in Colombo, Enjoy this delicious chicken curry with plain rice for best taste.
Ingredients Used: Spices, curry leaves, lemongrass, pandan leaves, oil, coconut milk, and chicken.
Eaten with: plain rice or theti paan
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9. Lamprey – meat marinated in sambal chili sauce
This Sri Lankan dish is a delicious dish eaten with rice. Meat, rice and sambal chili sauce are wrapped in banana leaf packets to be steamed. Through this process, a special flavor of banana leaves is added to it, which enhances the taste of the dish. Rice is cooked with meat stock and then served with meat curry on a banana leaf.
Ingredients Used: Oil, spices, meat, beef/pork/sheep stock, and rice.
Eaten with: Rice
10. Sri Lankan Egg Hopper – Pancakes for breakfast
A fermented mixture of rice flour, coconut milk and a little sugar is used to make the batter. The batter is cooked in a small pan and swirled around to make it even. An egg is cracked into a bowl-shaped pancake and garnished with peppers, lunu miris, onion, lemon juice and salt.
Ingredients Used: Egg, chilli, lemon juice, lunumiris, oil, flour and coconut milk for the batter.
Eaten with: spicy chile sauce, dhaal curry, and chutney
11. Kiribath – A delicious combination of rice and coconut milk
Kiribath is a dish prepared on special occasions in Sri Lanka. This dish is prepared by boiling rice, cooking it with coconut milk and a pinch of salt. Once the consistency of the mixture becomes sticky it is left to solidify. The mixture is then cut into slices. Kiribath is popularly garnished with lunu miris, a type of traditional chili sauce.
Ingredients Used: Rice, Coconut Milk, Salt
Eaten with: lunu smell
12. Wood Apple – A South Asian Fruit
The delicious Southeast Asian fruit called Wood Apple is a popular food in Sri Lanka. The fruit is of the size of a coconut with a hard shell. The shell contains a brown paste that can be eaten directly from the shell. Another interesting and popular way of consuming it is through a thick smoothie, known as wood apple juice. It is made by mixing the fruit with jaggery or sugar and water. The sweet and sour taste of this smoothie is amazing.
Ingredients Used: Wooden apple, sugar/jaggery, water
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Do these spicy curries, sweet caramelized onions, rice, delicious desserts and deep-fried dishes make you want to visit Sri Lanka immediately? Plan a trip to Sri Lanka and embark on a delicious food tour. This is your chance to experience this amazing island nation like never before.
FAQs about Sri Lankan food
What food is eaten in Sri Lanka?
Sri Lankan cuisine typically consists of boiled rice served with vegetable curry or meat curry. The dishes also include pickles, sambol and chutneys.
Is Sri Lankan food spicy?
Sri Lankan food dishes involve the use of many different types of spices and seasonings. Many popular traditional Sri Lankan dishes are spicy.
Is food expensive in Sri Lanka?
Food in Sri Lanka is not very expensive. The average cost of a meal at a good restaurant is between Rs 200 to Rs 400.
What is traditional Sri Lankan breakfast?
Milk rice and curry is the main breakfast in Sri Lanka.
Do Sri Lankans drink alcohol?
Yes, you can drink alcohol in Sri Lanka. However, make sure that you are not drinking alcohol in public areas as the locals may not approve of it. You should also try the local alcoholic beverage of Lankan arrack.
How much is a pint of beer in Sri Lanka?
The price of a pint of domestic beer in Sri Lanka ranges between Rs 100 to Rs 200. On the other hand, imported beer costs around Rs 160 to Rs 350.
What is traditional Sri Lankan food?
Rice and curry is mainly a staple food in Sri Lanka, where curry can be made with a variety of ingredients ranging from meat, seafood, lentils, vegetables, sambol, mallam to pickles.
What is the most famous food in Sri Lanka?
Some of the most famous dishes for you to try in Sri Lanka include: 1. Fish Ambul Thiyal 2. Kottu 3. Kukul Maas Curry 4. Lampreys 5. Sri Lankan Egg Hopper
