Sri Lanka is a paradise for food lovers. Its cuisine is a vibrant tapestry of aromatic spices, tropical fruits, and coastal freshness. Influenced by its geography, colonial history, and diverse ethnic groups, Sri Lankan food offers a unique culinary adventure. Get ready to tantalize your taste buds as we explore 10 dishes you simply must try on your visit.
1. Rice and Curry
This isn't just one dish, but an entire feast on a plate. A mound of fluffy rice is surrounded by a variety of curries, each with its own distinct flavor. You'll typically find a protein curry (like chicken, fish, or mutton), a dhal (lentil) curry, and several vegetable curries, such as jackfruit curry or beetroot curry. Don't forget the accompaniments: pol sambol (a spicy coconut relish) and papadums for that perfect crunch.
2. Hoppers (Appa)
A quintessential Sri Lankan breakfast food. Hoppers are bowl-shaped pancakes made from a fermented batter of rice flour and coconut milk. Plain hoppers are crispy on the edges and soft in the center, perfect for scooping up curries. For a real treat, try an egg hopper, where an egg is cracked into the center as it cooks. It's often served with a spicy onion relish called lunu miris.
3. Kottu Roti
You'll often hear the rhythmic clatter of metal on metal before you see a kottu stand. Kottu is Sri Lanka's favorite street food. It consists of godamba roti (a flat, crispy bread) chopped up and stir-fried with vegetables, egg, spices, and your choice of meat. The sound, the aroma, and the taste make it an unforgettable sensory experience.
4. Pol Sambol
This spicy coconut relish is a staple on any Sri Lankan dining table. Made from freshly grated coconut, red onions, dried red chilies, lime juice, and a pinch of salt, it adds a fiery, zesty kick to any meal. It's the perfect companion to rice, hoppers, or bread.
5. Wambatu Moju (Eggplant Pickle)
A delicious and complex side dish, wambatu moju is a sweet and sour eggplant pickle. Slices of eggplant are deep-fried until golden, then caramelized with vinegar, sugar, red onions, and spices. It's a flavor explosion that perfectly balances sweet, sour, and savory notes.
6. Fish Ambul Thiyal (Sour Fish Curry)
Originating from the southern coast, this is a unique dry fish curry. Cubes of firm fish, usually tuna, are simmered in a mixture of spices dominated by goraka, a dried fruit that gives the dish its characteristic sour flavor. The fish is cooked until the liquid reduces, coating each piece in a thick, dark, and intensely flavorful paste.
7. Kiribath with Lunu Miris
Kiribath, or milk rice, is a traditional dish made for special occasions but also enjoyed for breakfast. Rice is cooked in thick coconut milk until it's creamy and rich, then flattened and cut into diamond shapes. It's typically served with lunu miris, a fiery chili and onion sambol that cuts through the creaminess of the rice perfectly.
8. Lamprais
A legacy of the Dutch Burgher community, lamprais is a complete meal wrapped in a banana leaf and baked. It consists of savory rice cooked in stock, a mixed meat curry (usually chicken, pork, and beef), frikkadels (Dutch-style meatballs), blachan (a shrimp paste), and seeni sambol (a sweet and spicy onion relish). The banana leaf imparts a wonderful aroma and keeps all the flavors mingling together.
9. Dhal Curry (Parippu)
No Sri Lankan meal is complete without dhal. Red lentils are cooked in coconut milk with turmeric, onions, garlic, and other spices until soft and creamy. It's a comforting and mild curry that provides a perfect balance to the spicier dishes on the table.
10. Watalappan
A rich and decadent dessert to finish your meal. Watalappan is a steamed pudding made from coconut milk, jaggery (a type of cane sugar), eggs, and spices like cardamom and nutmeg. It has a creamy, custard-like texture and a unique, smoky sweetness from the jaggery. It's an absolute must-try for anyone with a sweet tooth.
