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When visiting Sri Lanka, there is more to look forward to than sunshine and palm trees. The food here will undoubtedly wake your taste buds as a million different spices hit your tongue. As you travel around the other parts of the Island, you will notice that the food and traditions are all very different. Spicy in the South, softer in the East, and a tremendous Indian influence in the North. Is it that spicy, you are wondering?
It can be judged differently from person to person, but Sri Lankans love their chilli. If you don’t like spice, then not to worry; they generally know that tourists don’t enjoy things that are too hot. You can also ask them to leave it out altogether as most meals are from scratch except the rice and curries.
Eating local.
You will see many small shacks serving local grub. Don’t be scared to eat in these places if you notice hygiene levels are good and the food is fresh. The smaller sites are your best chance to get the authentic Sri Lankan experience. Not only does their food taste amazing, but it also helps support the small businesses and the families behind them.
No need for cutlery.
Like most Asian countries, the locals eat with their fingers in Sri Lanka. In the Sri Lankan culture, you should eat with your right hand as the left hand is for the bathroom. Not to worry, I am left-handed and always eat with my Left hand here, there have never been any problems!
Pinching their food using their fingertips, they pick up significant amounts of food and use their thumb to push it into their mouths. It takes a couple of times to get the hang of it, but you will get there with time; for those who prefer the traditional knife & fork, that is also an option in most places.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
In Sri Lanka, the kids grow up eating rice & curry. From morning to night, local women buy and prepare vegetables, fish or meat ready for the next meals.
In Europe, we are somewhat spoilt with choice, and we become difficult regarding food. But with the current economic crisis, Sri Lankans are forced to eat what they can and not what they would like. So, let’s dig into some of the delicious local food that awaits you here:
Roti/ Paratha.
The paratha is a flatbread made with wheat flour, salt, and water rolled out and cooked till slightly brown. With so many ways to enjoy this crispy yet soft bread, I decided to list the most popular:
- Cut into small squares and served with coconut sambal, curry and a choice of meat/ fish. Served with a delightful milk tea, you have a typical local breakfast.
- Sweet roti’s are generally found in the more touristic places and filled with chocolate, banana, peanut butter or coconut treacle. The choices are endless.
- Coconut (Pol) roti is a little different to regular roti; these flatbreads include coconut meat and generally some onion in their mixture. Perfect with a spicy chilli sauce, they make the ideal snack during the afternoon.
- They are also used in the famous Kottu dish we will get to later.
- Egg roti is a flatbread with a cooked egg inside of it. Try them alone or with some rice and curry.
String hoppers: Idiyappam.
String hoppers, a typical dish, are one of my favourites here. With a long thin noodle-shaped appearance, string hoppers are generally available early in the morning. Made using rice flour, they squeeze the paste through a press that forms the noodle-like shape. They are then steamed and ready to be served with coconut sambal or Dhal curry. If you like a lighter breakfast, then this is ideal. The locals generally make their way through 15-string hoppers for a meal.
Egg hoppers: Bittara appa.
Egg hoppers are fun and tasty to eat. The hoppers are delivered in a bowl-shaped form, made of a pancake-like batter ( flour, salt, sugar, coconut milk) and topped with an egg. They use a bowl-like pan for cooking the batter, making it crispy around the edges and soft at the bottom. Topped with a steamed egg, salt and pepper, your food is served. Delicious and light, egg hoppers are usually found at breakfast and late evenings. You will find them all over the country, even in the places you would least expect. Amazingly cheap, they come with spicy chilli sambal, but you can also get plain or sweet hoppers.
Egg rolls: Bittara rolls
When it comes to street food, Sri Lanka has so many options. Egg rolls can be found in the local shops or bakeries and are worth the stop. This spicy snack has a curry sauce mixed with mashed potatoes, vegetables or fish and a boiled egg placed in the centre. All of that is then wrapped in a succulent paratha flatbread and coated with bread crumbs to be deep fried until it reaches a crispy, golden colour. I know, I made you hungry, right?
Coconut sambal: Pol sambal.
Another South- Indian recipe made its way to Sri Lankan kitchens. This coconut-based sambal is made with freshly scraped coconut meat, onion, tomato, chilli, garlic and lime juice. With many different recipes, you can discover different tastes that have journeyed from family to family over the years. Generally eaten with rice and curry, you can also find the sambal being served with paratha or string hoppers. It is a ubiquitous dish as the Island is covered in coconuts, which are cheap ( free) compared to other ingredients. Wouldn’t you do the same if you had a coconut tree in your backyard?
Rice and curry.
Being the most eaten dish on the Island, the options here are endless. Rice and curry is a daily 3-time meal for the locals here. The meal is based around red or white steamed rice with up to 4 different curries. Most of the time, the curries are made up of a choice of meat or fish curry, two other vegetables and a leaf or coconut sambal.
Concerning the vegetable curries, the most popular ones are lentil (Dhal), eggplant, beetroot, cabbage, carrot, potato, pumpkin and green beans. You can also discover less known vegetables such as drumsticks, lady’s fingers, winged beans, bitter gourd, snake gourd, etc. The spiciness can range from mild to intense, depending on where you eat. The lighter-coloured curries are generally coconut milk based and have a softer spice. Any redder-looking curry will most probably have a kick to it.
Kottu
As you walk along Sri Lanka’s streets, you cannot miss the banging sound of someone making a Kottu. Inside this deliciously filling dish, you will find paratha, leek, carrot, onions, and eggs. Very famous in Sri Lanka, this dish makes a great dinner meal. All seasoned with a spicy curry sauce and coconut oil, it is a mouth-watering experience. Cheap and quick to make, you can find Kottu with many options such as egg, chicken, and cheese. On the table, you will generally find ketchup, chilli paste and some curry sauce to up your Kottu.
Helapa.
For those with a sweet tooth, this unusual sweet treat will not disappoint you. Wrapped in a leaf and steamed, a kurakkan and rice flour batter surround a sweet treacle, cardamom, and grated coconut centre. It is the perfect on-the-go treat as no plastic or paper wrapping is involved.
Coconut pancakes: Pani pol pancake.
Pancakes have a space in all of our hearts, but the coconut found inside the pancakes is a Sri Lankan speciality. Sweet and spicy, these crepes are filled with a coconut, treacle and cardamom mix. They are found in smaller shops and restaurants and go perfectly with a cup of tea.
Tropical fruits.
The choice of fruit and vegetables is impressive. Most of us have already tried tropical fruits, but they are fresh from the tree and juicier here. You can purchase fruits anywhere at small market stands.
You can also find fresh green Orange juice bars placed along the roadside. If you feel hit and thirsty, this is just what you need. Tangy, sweet and cold the juices are freshly pressed in front of you.
King coconut water:
My favourite pitstop has to be Sri Lanka’s king coconuts. Incredibly nourishing and tasty, king coconuts are the perfect way to refresh during your day. You should avoid tourist bars and cafes for those on a tighter travel budget. Coconuts can be bought and opened for you at roadside spots. These places are so much cheaper, and buying fruits there is much more helpful. Enjoy the coconut meat inside before throwing it away when you have finished your water.
Plastic is a huge problem all around Sri Lanka, so these little efforts can help improve it. They generally give a straw to tourists to drink their coconut, but why not drink it directly from the shell? If you prefer to take a straw, then hang onto it for the next stop.
Wattalapam.
Do you still have room for dessert? If so, then this coconut custard pudding should satisfy any sweet tooth. Made from rich coconut or condensed milk, jaggery, cashew nuts and a handful of spices, it is highly addictive. Originally from Indonesia and having massive success with the Tamil population, the Sri Lankans quickly grew to adore this dessert. They prepare this dessert on special occasions such as Poya day (full moon), but you can find it in some restaurants.
