When I first arrived in Sri Lanka, I had no idea what Sri Lankan food was or what flavours to expect. I was pleasantly surprised to find a country with a rich culinary history, where the fresh flavours of South East Asia meet the robust curries of India.
If you’re heading to Sri Lanka and are wondering what people eat in Sri Lanka, you are in for a treat. The region sits halfway between South East Asia and the Indian subcontinent, so the influences from both are present in Sri Lankan cuisine. Think chillies, coconut, bananas, kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, rice, curry, curry and more curry!
Knowing nothing about it when I first arrived, Sri Lankan food quickly made it’s way to the top of my list.
String Hoppers
A staple in Sri Lankan kitchens at breakfast time, string hoppers (or idiyappam as they are known locally) is a rice noodle dish wherein rice flour is pressed into noodles and steamed until cooked.
Although they are a typical Sri Lankan breakfast, string hoppers are not only found in Sri Lanka (you may find them served in Malaysia, Singapore or certain parts of India) but they are said to have originated from here, so they are truly authentic Sri Lankan cuisine.
String hoppers can be eaten on their own, but are most often served with coconut, sugar or banana. I’ve eaten them with a bit of curry sauce too, which may or may not be sacrilege, but tasted delicious.
String hoppers are found all over the country and are a simple, hearty staple to get your day started right.
Dhal Curry
Sri Lankan’s aren’t the only country to serve dhal (it’s also a staple in India, for example), but there is something special about the way dhal is prepared in Sri Lanka. I found that dhal in Sri Lanka was prepared to a much creamier consistency, although the flavours very similar to the dhal you may already be familiar with if you’ve eaten Indian.
Dhal can be served at any time of the day and is often one of the first dishes Sri Lankans learn to cook, owing to its simplicity and deliciousness.
Kottu (or Kottu Roti)
When I first ordered kottu, I had no idea what to expect. It was a dish I ordered because it was the only thing on the menu at the restaurant we were at in Unawatuna, so I didn’t have much choice. However, after one mouthful, I was converted. It quickly became my meal of choice at lunch time.
Kottu is a very common Sri Lankan street food, usually served for lunch and is made with a base of stale roti (usually the leftover roti from the day before) which are chopped finely and fried with spices and your choice of vegetables and meat.
Chicken Curry (or Kukul Mas Curry)
By far the dish I ate more than any other is the humble Sri Lankan chicken curry. This started off as a budget decision, as it was always the cheapest item on the menu. For example, a chicken curry would cost around 300 LKR / £1.30 / $1.70 whereas a pizza on the same menu was usually closer to 1,300 LKR / £5 / $7.
However, after my first experience, I was hooked. A reductive way of describing a Sri Lankan chicken curry would be if a Thai green curry was made using Indian spices. Lots of cumin, cardamom pods and plenty of ghee to give the curry a rich flavour.
Sri Lankan food is typically served very spicy and this curry is no exception, although many of the restaurants on the beaches have allegedly started to dial down the amount of heat they add, to cater for Western tourists.
This dish is always served with a lot of steamed rice.
Coconut Sambol
Almost all Sri Lankan food contains some form of coconut and even when coconut is not in the base recipe, you’ll probably be served some coconut sambol on the side as a condiment to add to your meal A side dish usually served with most of the Sri Lankan food in this article, coconut pol sambol is found on almost every table in Sri Lanka.
The condiment is incredibly simple and is made from smashing up grated coconut, chilli and red onion.
