Sri Lankan food come in diverse ways, but it is not always spicy and can be prepared using a blend of wonderful fresh ingredients that have been grown to great perfection specifically in the lowlands of the tropics and hills of this verdant island. And if you’re a spice lover, your taste will be well catered for with the help of sumptuous and diverse spice blends and pastes. If you prefer a milder cuisine, you need not to worry, most of Sri Lanka dishes are not exactly chilli hot, and others are prepared to suit foreign palates.
The cuisine that emanates from this part of the world mainly composed of boiled rice that is served with curry. Most times, it is made up of ‘main curry’ of fish, pork chick, name it, and so many other curries that are made with vegetables, fruit curries, etc.
They also have side-dishes which consist of pickles, chutneys and also ‘sambols’. Coconut sambol appears to be the most famous and is composed of ground coconut blended with chilli peppers and also dried Maldives-fish, even lime juice too. It is made to a paste and served with rice; it gives great appeal to the meal and also improves your appetite.
Kiribath is another dish that is famous, meaning ‘milk-rice’. Aside from sambol, Sri Lankans are known to eat ‘mallung’ and chopped leaves blended with grated coconut with red onion. When it comes to coconut milk, you can say it gives one-of-a-kind flavour to the cuisine, as it is found in most Sri Lankan dishes.
Sri Lankans are not bound to an exact recipe, so spices are used in a liberal way. It is most certain that every cook’s curry will have a slightly different taste. Additionally, there is a difference in the way each region of the island cook and the ethnic and religious groups do their cooking with regards to their customs. Though similarity exist between south Indian cuisine and Sri Lankan food in terms of chilli use, coriander and so many other spices with a distinctive taste makes use of dried Maldives-fish which is well-known to the area.
As rice is the base for many dishes, you can also try Sri Lankan food like the staple appa or hopper, which is a pancake that is eaten with savoury dishes; you can also sweeten your palate with the related string hoppers similar to small clump of fine noodles, which is really great to mop up curry sauces. With coastal cuisine, you’re certain to have a delicious taste of fresh sea foods. It doesn’t end there, the growing influence of the trading and ruling communities of the island so many years ago, for example, the British-derived bakeries that comes with their ‘short-eat,’ a snack that gives you a great feeling of delight, the Muslim delicacies similar to fragrant rice-based biryanis, and the Dutch-inspired savoury and mouth-watering dishes are cuisines worth remembering.
The cost of food is a true representation of great value, and having a delicious meal is realistic with local restaurants for as little as over 100 LKR or a US dollar. But going outside the larger towns, the options in terms of restaurants are limited and you’re left with no other choice than to dine in your hotel. With hotels, you’ve different choice of buffet or a la carte; some hotels will only offer buffets, which will cost you between 350-500 LKR. As each day passes by, Breakfast is always part of it on our small Group of Journeys and also independent packages, which comes with a blend of buffet and continental style.
With your tour guide, you’ve got a dependable companion that is always willing to offer quality advice on where you can eat local specialties so that you have a feel of the Sri Lanka’s cuisine. Being a traveller, the best place you can have a great meal will be a food court where you have so many options under one roof. Those that readily come to mind are the Majestic City and Cresscat in Colombo. The McDonalds of this world, KFC and so much more are the familiar food outlets you will most certainly come in contact with in major cities. It is advisable you go for bottled water—they are readily available at cheap prices throughout Sri Lanka- as local tap water is not recommended.
