Author: Gargi Guha
For a country as small as Sri Lanka, the food and the mind-boggling diversity of it, packs in quite a punch.
Rich in its culture and heritage, as well as ready access to fresh vegetation and produce, what really was the game changer in this vibrant medley of flavors, was its vantage point as a central hub of global trade and cultural exchange. Also called “The Spice Island,” it burst at the seams with a repertoire of fragrant spices like cinnamon, pepper, nutmeg, and cloves, which, needless to say, attracted many nations. Ancient traders from Arabia, China, and India eyed this abundance of spices, since the early days. Dutch, English, Malay, and Indian influences blended with local traditions to script a new cuisine that was aromatic, nuanced and vibrant. This was the result of royal matrimonies as well as conquests. Spice trade was rampant.
Over the centuries, Portuguese, Dutch, and British colonial powers tried to exert control of this lucrative spice trade.
Influences on Sri Lankan Cuisine
Sri Lankan food is characterized by this broad brushstroke; aromatic spices, coconut, and rice. Every dish has a narrative; that of lush, emerald green vegetation, wild conquests, brushes with traders and colonizers, as well as an organic exchange of cultures with neighbouring countries. The result was a rich canvas; technicoloured and multi-sensory.
The Malay community introduced fragrant dishes like sambol and Malay pickle, which gave every meal a condiment that elevated the food and added an interesting dimension.
The British brought their tea culture to India and Sri Lanka, and along with it came the indulgent Afternoon Tea where ladies went about unhurried conversations over scones and pastries, all elevated with a touch of cinnamon and cloves. Perfectly paired with cups of Ceylon Tea.
During the 17th century Dutch rule, the cinnamon harvested in Sri Lanka was considered the finest in the world. Galle Fort served as a key port for exporting this spice to Europe and the Dutch contributed by adding some dishes to the expanding national cuisine canvas, like lamprais, a hearty rice dish as well as kokis, which are crispy, sweet cakes made from rice flour and coconut milk, traditionally eaten during Sinhala New Year festivities
And, of course, there is neighbouring India from across the water, whose influence came in the form of dishes with Indian roots like hoppers, a well-loved breakfast staple of Kerala
What are the Sri Lankan dishes to try during your visit to Sri Lanka
Here are a dozen dishes that you could try (detailed view below)
- Hoppers or appam or String hoppers or idiyappam
- Sri Lankan crab curry
- Parippu or dal curry
- Pol Sambol or coconut relish
- Polos, green jackfruit curry
- Kottu roti, a flat, crispy bread known as a street snack
- Wambatu moju or eggplant pickle
- Kiri bath, a special type of rice, cooked with thick coconut milk
- Fish ambulthiyal (sour fish curry)
- Kukul mas curry (chicken curry)
- Lamprais, believed to be of Dutch origin, and is a hearty combination of spiced rice, meat curry, and accompaniments wrapped in a banana leaf.
- Watalappam, a decadent crème brulee made with coconut milk
Hoppers or appam or String hoppers or idiyappam came from a marriage of cultures with neighbouring India. Appams are soft, pillowy round pancakes made with fermented rice batter and coconut milk, famous throughout Kerala. Idiyappams are what one would find in Tamil Nadu, where they are relished with a lightly scented , sweet coconut milk. Through Sri Lanka, hoppers are served with a scoop of lunu-miris (a maldive fish-based chilli paste) or seeni sambol (a sweet and spicy, caramelised onion) or even jaggery, always accompanied with a cup of hot tea. String hoppers are delicate, nests of thin rice noodles served with kiri hodi (coconut milk gravy) or a mild curry for breakfast. When having for dinner, one could expect hearty curries like chicken, fish, or beef.
Sri Lankan crab curry, also known as Jaffna crab curry is a traditional spicy dish that is unforgettable because of the sweet crab meat, coconut milk and spices coming together in a beautiful rendition. Hot, spicy and gloriously messy, it invites one to go in with no restraint, and pure delight. Ministry of Crab, is perhaps the most famed address to enjoy the best of the island’s mud crabs and freshwater prawns, prepared using Sri Lankan spices.
Parippu Dal is a red lentil curry with masoor dal, a staple in every household. Flavored with coconut milk, curry leaves and spices, this is at once a light as well as flavoursome dish; vegan gluten free and packed with protein.
Pol sambol is a vibrant relish that is a staple in Sri Lankan cuisine. With freshly grated coconut at its heart, it has chilli, lime juice, salt, and sometimes shallots or dried fish. The ingredients are typically ground or pounded together in a mortar and pestle, a tradition that comes down as ritual from the good old days.
Polos green jackfruit curry is another delicious, vegan dish with baby green jackfruit, simmering in a creamy coconut gravy, lightly perfumed with spices. When well cooked, the pieces can’t be distinguished from pulled pork, in texture.
Kottu roti, now a global favourite as Sri Lankan street food, originated in the Eastern Province in the 1960s as an on-the-go, inexpensive meal using leftover roti and other ingredients. The name comes from the Tamil word “kottu,” meaning to chop
Wambatu moju is a pickle or condiment, but elevates any dish that it is served with, hence deserving a pride of place as a dish itself. Spicy, tangy and delicious, it is made with sautéed brinjal cooked with onions, garlic and tomatoes. This is a great side dish to serve with rice and dal and has great transformational potential to dial a meal a few notches up.
Ambulthiyal, is must-try sour fish curry. Usually made with large, meaty fish like tuna, it is sauteed in a blend of spices including black pepper, cinnamon, turmeric, garlic, pandan leaves and curry leaves. The alchemic agent is goraka, also known as Malabar tamarind that grows in Sri Lanka, and used as a souring agent.
Kukul mas is a Colombo-style traditional chicken curry that can be enjoyed with rice or roti. Coconut milk and aromatic spices add magic to this simple curry that many Sri Lankans say, tastes of nostalgia….perhaps, reminding them of their grandmother!
Lamprais is Sri Lankan history wrapped in a parcel. A component of many parts, a meal and a marriage of multiple elements. Wrapped in a banana leaf and individually portioned, each package contains meat, rice and a combination of condiments, with the banana leaf doubling as a plate to eat on. This nostalgic dish is a gift of the Sri Lankan Burgher community, who lived on when the Dutch conceded rule to the British in 1802.
Watalappam deserves to be hailed as a glorious sweet ending to any Sri Lankan meal. It was brought to the country by immigrants from Malaysia and Indonesia in the 18th century and is a simple but delicious, lightly spiced crème brulee, fragrant with cardamom. The palm jaggery and coconut lend the dish a nutty, toasty and silky mouthfeel.
Sri Lanka is a little island with big flavours and gaining its moment in the sun on the global platform.
The UK has embraced this cuisine and highly popular restaurants have opened in the UK, including Hoppers in London and The Coconut Tree in Cheltenham, while the US is slowly waking up to the big flavours of this culinary tradition.
While in Sri Lanka, the best way to enjoy these treats is in small restaurants that serve authentic food or a local person’s home.
You might also consider downloading the Tuktukrental Travel App. It features offline maps, offbeat recommendations and even helps fellow tuktuk-ers on the road connect for information or just a few post drive beers – or the local Sri Lankan arrack if you are feeling adventurous!
