Sri Lankan Cuisine

Sri Lankan cuisine is a vibrant, fiery and distinct island food culture, related to but quite different from Indian cooking, built on rice, coconut, spices and abundant fresh produce. Its heart is rice and curry, a generous spread of a dozen or more small dishes, from dhal and jackfruit to fish and vegetable curries, fiery sambols and crunchy poppadoms, alongside bowl-shaped hoppers, coconut roti and the tropical fruits of the island.

What you actually see

• Rice and curry - the generous spread of many spiced dishes.
• Hoppers - the bowl-shaped fermented pancakes, often with an egg.
• Kottu roti - the chopped roti stir-fry, a street-food favourite.
• Sambols and fruit - the fiery coconut sambol and tropical fruits.

When to go

Year-round; the best food is often at small local eateries and homestays, where a home-cooked rice and curry is a highlight. A cooking class is a wonderful way to understand the many dishes and spices.

Honest expectations

Sri Lankan food is genuinely fiery, often hotter than Indian food, so specify your spice tolerance, though it is worth building it up. It is eaten traditionally by hand, using the right hand. It is a paradise for vegetarians. Street food and homestay meals are highlights, though take the usual care with water and salads.

Nearby

Every region has its specialities; the coast for seafood, the hills for milder fare.