Platter of Sri Lankan Food
Though Sri Lankan food has parallels to South Indian food, it remains distinctly its own form of cuisine. Throughout years of colonization and influence from other countries, Sri Lanka has adapted its food culture into a blend of different curry concoctions and dishes.
A few things about Sri Lankan food can be said with certainty: Sri Lankans love spices, they love food that explodes with flavor, and they enjoy deep fried snacks!
Being an island with a tropical climate, coconuts and fish are two of the most influential components of Sri Lankan cuisine. Fish is made into curries and coconut in some form or another is included in nearly all dishes.
Rice and curry is the Sri Lankan staple, though various kinds of flat bread are equally common.
So go ahead and grab a “paratha” and sit back to check out these 40 foods you can’t miss in Sri Lanka!
Fish Curry and Mixed Rice
1. Fish Curry and Mixed Rice
There’s nothing more common to eat as Sri Lankan food than a nutritious plate of rice and curry. You normally get a plate of rice piled with a few of the daily vegetable curries and a choice of fish curry as well.
A plate like the one above cost me 120 LKR ($1.09), but without fish it would have even been less.
Deviled Sweet and Sour Fish Curry
2. Deviled Sweet and Sour Fish Curry
There are a lot of different deviled dishes in Sri Lanka. This fish was deep fried and smothered in a lovely sweet and sour sauce and lightly fried again with red onions and banana peppers. It was excellent with fried rice and a flatbread paratha on the side.
Chili Fish Curry
3. Chili Fish Curry
This particular fish curry in Sri Lanka reminded me of the Burmese food curry that I also highly enjoyed. It was fragrant, oily, and the sauce was marvelous with a giant plate of rice.
Sri Lankan Daal Curry
4. Sri Lankan Daal Curry
Daal curry is one of the most commonly consumed staple dishes in Sri Lankan cuisine. The daal lentils are often cooked with coconut milk in Sri Lanka and made into a rich stew that acts almost like a gravy for rice.
Jackfruit Curry
5. Jackfruit Curry
Sri Lankan food is famous for its curries – and jackfruit curry is one of my favorites. The chunks of the fruit are curried in a number of different ways.
This particular version (brown dish above) tasted like it was chutney-ed and the pieces of jackfruit could have almost passed for chunks of tender beef.
Mallum or Mallung – Kale Coconut Salad
6. Mallum or Mallung – Gotukola Sambol
Green leafy vegetables aren’t the most common thing to eat in Sri Lanka, so I welcomed every opportunity to eat a bowl of Mallum.
The leafy green salad is made with finely chopped gotukola, shredded coconut meat, red onions, and a few spices for flavoring. I would call it the Middle Eastern tabbouleh of Sri Lanka.
Sri Lankan Beetroot Curry
7. Beetroot Curry
A plate of Sri Lankan curry and rice is complete only when a nice helping of beetroot curry is included.
Beats are diced up and cooked to death with a number of spices including cinnamon and curry leaves. Throughout the duration of my stay in the country, I just couldn’t get enough of this blood red vegetable.
Vegetarian Kottu
8. Vegetarian Kottu
An extremely popular Sri Lankan street food dish is known as “kottu.” Essentially it is composed of shredded pieces of Sri Lankan paratha bread that are stir fried with an assortment of spices and a choice of other meaty (or vegetarian) ingredients.
Kottu is quite simply the “hamburger” of Sri Lanka, something so tasty it’s just impossible to resist!
To take things to the next level, kottu is served with a separate bowl of curry sauce to moisten and add extra flavor to the stir fried flatbread.
Egg Kottu
9. Egg Kottu
Another variation of kottu is with vegetables and egg. The vegetables include a few meager sprigs of leek, onions and cabbage and the sizzling paratha is lathered with egg to make it even richer…and more delicious!
Cheese Kottu
10. Cheese Kottu
If vegetarian kottu is the hamburger of Sri Lanka, cheese kottu is the quadruple bacon heart stopping cheeseburger.
Yellow curry powder flavor is bumped up a few notches with cheese kottu and it’s a Sri Lankan food that you just can’t miss. The cheese is not traditional yellow cheese, but rather more like cottage milk cheese.
Check out this VIDEO of Kottu being cooked!
Pretty cool song…yah?
Fried Salted Fish
11. Fried Salted Fish
Little fried and salted fish are a lovely addition to Sri Lankan food. Unlike saucy curry, little fish are heavily salted and deep fried so they are crunchy. Their texture and flavor goes well with a plate of vegetarian curry and rice.
Maldive fish are a popular ingredient for Sri Lankan dishes. The little salted guys are included in a range of different sambol sauces.
Deep Fried Chicken Fried Rice
12. Deep Fried Chicken Fried Rice
If only more countries in the world knew about fried chicken fried rice, it would be integrated into cuisines around the world…guaranteed.
I don’t think there’s much need for explanation; Take fried chicken and make fried rice with it.
Egg Fried Rice
13. Egg Fried Rice
Though it’s made in a wok and looks like an item off a Chinese or Thai street food menu, Sri Lankan fried rice still tastes like Sri Lankan food.
It could be the assortment of ingredients or the hint of cumin that accompanies the rice. Nevertheless, a number of Chinese influenced dishes remain popular as Sri Lakan food staples.
Brinjal Eggplant
14. Brinjal Eggplant
Though I ate many Sri Lankan dishes, the candied brinjal eggplant (black stuff towards the right) was one that I couldn’t get enough of.
The eggplant is cooked to death with salt, oil, soy sauce, and sugar until it becomes fall apart tender and the sugar begins to caramelize. Though I’m not the biggest fan of sweet things, this eggplant was to die for.
Sri Lankan Chicken Curry
15. Sri Lankan Chicken Curry
I have read that Sri Lankan food is difficult to master, simply because everyone has their own variation of each dish. No chicken curry will taste the same throughout the country.
This clay pot of Grandmother’s home-made chicken curry goes down as one of the top 10 flavors that has ever entered my mouth (article to come later).
Cobra Chilies
16. Cobra Chilies
It’s not exactly a Sri Lankan food, but those innocent looking chili peppers on the plate above are far from kind.
Known as the “Cobra Chili,” these little guys were so delicious, but they nearly burnt a hole in my tongue.
Northern Sri Lankan Tamil Food
17. Northern Sri Lankan Tamil Food
Some of my favorite Sri Lankan meals were from the northern Tamil tip of Jaffna. This outrageously tasty meal included yellow rice, an assortment of vegetable and seafood curries, a few parathas, and a number of heaping spoons full of tomato onion garnish.
Ela Batu Thai Eggplant Curry
18. Ela Batu – Thai Eggplant Curry
Believe it or not, Sri Lankan food includes a dish that is quite similar to Thai green curry. Thai eggplants are used in the dish and a similar but Sri Lankan tasting green curry sauce is what holds it together.
Squid Curry
19. Squid Curry
This Jaffna squid was chopped into small pieces before being fried with peppers, onions, and a spiced tomato based sauce. It was wonderful along with rice and curry and a few parathas.
Candied Shrimp Curry
20. Candied Shrimp Curry
When I spotted these little blacked shrimps in the glass cabinet in Jaffna, I couldn’t pass them up. Luckily they were just as tasty as they looked, a marvelous blend of curry spices coating each and every part of the shrimp bodies.
Egg Hoppers (Appa)
21. Egg Hoppers (Appa)
Hoppers which are also known as Appa, are an iconic food of Sri Lanka.
It begins with a simple pancake batter that’s spruced up with coconut milk and a splash of toddy (Sri Lankan palm wine). The unique part is that hoppers are cooked in small “wok” like rounded pans so the dough cooks thick and soft on the bottom, and thin and crunchy around the edges.
The texture and even taste is quite similar to Ethiopian injera bread. Hoppers can be ordered plain, or even better with a fried egg in the middle.
Also check out this video that I took at a local hoppers stand:
If you can’t see it, watch the Sri Lankan hoppers video on YouTube.
Pol Sambola – Spicy Coconut Garnish
22. Pol Sambola – Spicy Coconut Garnish
This Sri Lankan food may be one of the simplest things to make, yet one of the most amazing stokes of deliciousness that Sri Lanka has contributed to the world.
I could graze on pol sambola for hours at a time.
It’s merely a mixture of shredded coconut, chili powder, lime juice, red onions and salt – but believe me, every bite is like a miracle come true.
Pol sambola is perfect to eat with bread, roti, or on top of rice.
I was craving pol sambol so badly that I had to make it myself… Enjoy!
(if you can’t see the video, watch it on YouTube here)
Onion Sambola
23. Lunu Miris – Onion Sambola
Along with coconut garnish, Sri Lanka’s pounded onion and chili sauce known as Lunu Miris is almost as delicious.
The mixture included red onions, salt, chili powder, lime juice, and a small handful of Maldive salted fish to make it taste superb!
Roti Protein (aka Sri Lankan Chorizo)
24. Roti Protein (aka Sri Lankan Chorizo)
This is not a common Sri Lankan food, but after devouring this burrito looking roti in Kandy I couldn’t help from including it on this list.
It was phenomenal…and though it was all soy protein, it tasted nearly identical to Mexican pork chorizo and eggs (more details on this to come).
Pittu – Flour and Coconut Funnel Cakes
25. Pittu – Flour and Coconut Funnel Cakes
Sri Lankan pittu funnel cakes are a combination of flour (either rice of karukan), fresh shredded coconut, and a handful of desiccated coconut. The precious little cakes are traditionally steamed in bamboo, but now are sometimes steamed in circular metal tubes.
After being cooked, the crumbly textured pittu cakes are served with fresh sweetened coconut milk.
Pol Roti and Potato Curry
26. Pol Roti and Potato Curry
Roti in Sri Lanka is less greasy and more of a thick tortilla like flatbread (paratha are the greasy flat-breads).
In Sri Lanka, roti are made with freshly grated coconut, flour, water and salt. They are made into balls of dough, flattened, and then cooked on a hot griddle. Any form of spicy curry sauce handles the task of being the dip for a delicious pol roti!
Paratha Flatbread
27. Paratha Flatbread
What’s known as paratha in Sri Lanka is similar to a roti in Malaysian food, or an African chapati.
The greasy flaky flat-bread is melt in your mouth delicious, especially when dipped in coconut milk curry sauce. YUM!
Sri Lankan Omelet
28. Sri Lankan Omelet
Sri Lankan omelets are loaded up with local spices like cumin and curry powder and then simmered in a layer of oil coconut oil so it turns golden brown. Over a plate of rice and alongside some shredded coconut garnish, a Sri Lankan omelet is heavenly.
Ulundhu Vadai
29. Ulundhu Vadai
These marvelously tasty little fritters are made from daal, combined with incredible spices, and deep fried to crunchy perfection.
Cassava Chips
30. Cassava Chips
I was excited to see a giant street food cart filled with my favorite kind of junk food: cassava chips. I had enjoyed countless handfuls of cassava chips while growing up in Kenya.
50 LKR ($0.45) will get you a small paper bag of salty chips at Galle Face beach in Colombo.
Deep Fried Jackfruit Seeds
31. Deep Fried Jackfruit Seeds
Another popular snack in Sri Lanka are deep fried jackfruit seeds. They are salted and served in small paper bags made from scrap paper.
Some of the Sri Lankan street food carts and snacks even reminded me of Egyptian street food.
Deep Fried Morsels
32. Deep Fried Morsels
As you may have noticed by now, though there are many vegetarian dishes, Sri Lankan food is not all that healthy.
On top of that, Sri Lanka is a country that loves their deep fried snacks. These snacky morsels of batter were heavily salty and seasoned with fried curry leaves.
Coconut Roti and Chili Salt
33. Coconut Roti and Chili Salt
This little gem of a snack was purchased on the train from Colombo to Kandy. It’s basically a little piece of coconut infused solid flat-bread topped with a marvelous flaky salty chili sauce.
It almost tasted like a Sri Lankan mini pizza.
Sri Lankan Samosas
34. Sri Lankan Samosas
From Indian food to Kenyan dishes, samosas have become a popular snack from coast to coast. Some are filled with meat, while others are vegetarian.
Fish and Vegetable Roti
35. Fish and Vegetable Roti
The triangular looking pockets are a form of roti filled with a range of different ingredients. Fish was my preferred filling, but there were also some nice vegetarian versions available. Instead of being deep fried like samosas, triangle roti’s are just skillet fried.
Sri Lanka Fish Cutlet Balls and Chinese Egg Rolls
36. Sri Lanka Fish Cutlet Balls and Chinese Egg Rolls
The Chinese egg rolls in Sri Lanka were so-so, but the fish cutlet balls (pictured above) were absolutely wonderful. It’s like a little grenade of fish packed into a breaded ball and deep fried.
When it comes to short eats in Sri Lanka, there’s no need to go any further than the fish cutlets – they are delicious!
Full Cream Curd and Sweet Syrup
37. Full Cream Curd and Sweet Syrup
In India, curd is often eaten with rice or mixed with something; In Sri Lanka curd is devoured drizzled with kithul treacle - syrup made from liquid jaggery.
At first this “curd” sounded a little bizarre to me, but when I tried it, I was amazed and wanted to eat more for every consecutive breakfast.
Sri Lankan curd tastes very similar to what I know as plain yoghurt. It’s creamy, slightly sour, and the sweet syrup on top makes it absolutely fantastic.
Woodapple Juice
38. Woodapple Juice
Yup, the outer shell smells a bit like rotting blue cheese mixed with dirty socks. The inside of the fruit looks a bit like diarrhea, but tastes similar to a tamarind. But hey, as a religious fan of durian, I’m not one to judge a fruit by its shell.
Despite the looks of this wonder fruit, woodapple juice in Sri Lanka is wildly popular – and I’ll be first to admit that it tastes pretty good when it’s blended up with some sugar!
There’s nothing better to wash down Sri Lankan food with, than a big cup of woodapple juice!
King Coconut
39. King Coconut
No component of Sri Lankan food is more vital than that holy coconut. In Sri Lanka there are many varieties of this special fruit, including the orange colored king coconut.
These coconuts line the streets around the country and are sold just for their sweet water. Each coconut costs from 30 – 40 LKR ($0.27 – $0.36).
Ceylon Milk Tea
40. Ceylon Milk Tea
Sri Lanka (formerly known as Ceylon) is one of the world’s leading producers of tea – no trip to the country would be the same without multiple cups a day.
Milk tea as well as ginger tea and plain tea are all popular and widely available choices.
Sri Lankan Food
Sri Lankan food is full of spices and exciting to the taste buds. At just an average of $1 – $2 for a giant meal, Sri Lanka is a culinary playground for sampling amazing dishes!
Have you had Sri Lankan food?
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Mark, these look delicious. I admit that I haven’t tried durian yet, but one of these days…(maybe). Thanks for the pix.
Nancy
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No problem! You’ve got to try durian sometime, and when you do, be sure to let me know how it goes!!
What, no lampreis????? Sacrilege! But seriously, you’ve missed out what I IMHO consider to be the best Sri Lankan rice dish:
http://riceandcurry.wordpress.com/2011/11/18/lampreis-to-go-the-dutch-burgher-union/
Also, stringhoppers! Much better than regular hoppers.
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David! Thanks a lot for sharing that – I want to go back to Colombo now and get one of those – it looks delicious!
Hello Mark,
I am a software engineering student in sri lanka. I checked your web site and really happy about your sri lankan tour. I can give you some details about our traditional foods if you like to test next time. There are lot of traditional and very sweet foods and sweets in sri lanka. Reply me, if you want further details. I can mail you the details and places.
Hey Madushanka!
Thanks for the great comment and for checking out my site. If it’s easier, you could definitely just share the information on this article in the comments right here. I’m not sure when I’ll be traveling back to Sri Lanka again, and if you share information here, it can help everyone! I really appreciate you taking the time to read my site. Feel free to e-mail me as well – migrationology@gmail.com
Thanks!
I am so glad so many people like sri lankan foods. I am Tamil and i love it. My mum makes sri lankan food for a living and i love sambol too!!!!!
But my mum sometimes makes it exxxxxtra spices. You cant hav too much so i get told off for not eating it with parotha.
thnx
Hi Lavenia, very cool, thanks for the comment. Mmm, home cooked Sri Lankan food is the best ever!
You haven’t really eaten all of these dishes, have you. Of course you have. Why have you changed the look of your website?
It’s hard having to sample so many foods!!! I’m doing a little bit of re-design on my site to try and improve things and also be able to go full-screen for photos. I’m going to be tweaking things a little more and hopefully making Migrationology better!
We love Sri Lankan food – in particular vegetarian rotis from street vendors and a big plate of rice and vegetarian curries. We loved eating home cooked food in guesthouses – always cheap and delicious.
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Great to hear that Erin! You’re right about the home cooked Sri Lankan food. The food is good in restaurants, but I had by far the best curries at a friend’s house with his mom cooking!
wow! they all seem like great tasting food! the squid curry seems interesting
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Thanks Gladys!
I want one of each… NOW!
Truly I thought, this will be interesting and began scrolling figuring I’d find a favorite, maybe two. No, not to be.
Each has an ingredient (food item or spice) that doesn’t appeal to me, but SINGS to me.
And now I am starving! *grin, laugh*
Maria recently posted..When a Stranger Calls
Haha, thanks for the comment Maria! Hope you found something delicious to eat!
Looks amazing. Thanks again Mark, for covering the cuisine and countries that most people are not!
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Thanks Stephen!
I love spice and flavor so I think I’d really enjoy Sri Lankan food! Have to admit your pictures all made me very hungry.
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Glad to hear that you also love spices – you’d definitely enjoy Sri Lankan food!
Most awesome collection Mark! You could not have done this post better and my hats off to you. I hope you’re thinking of coming out with a travel cook book one day
David @ Malaysia Asia recently posted..Festival of People and Tribes in Bali, Indonesia (Pt 1)
Thanks David – would love to come out with an international guide to food plus recipes and a bunch of stuff – that would be a lot of fun!
WOW! Your photos are so awesome you page looks good enough to eat!
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Thanks a lot Courtney!
There is nothing on this list that I wouldn’t want to it. These dishes look so delicious!
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Thanks Dean – awesome to hear that!
Wow–all of this food looks incredible! Your photography really brings out the color and texture. Yum!
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Appreciate it Michael!
wow – every item is more delectable as the next!!! I *love* roti!!! I could eat a pound of it at a time!!!
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Awesome Jen!
Aaaaaaaaaaand now I’m hungry. :9
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Get some Sri Lankan food!
Another yummy and very well researched (I’m sure it was difficult!) post
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Food research is a looot of fun!
Very comprehensive – and appealing – post! I hope you’re letting Sri Lanka’s tourism agency see this; it’s wonderful advertising for the country.
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Thanks a lot Sophie! I might try to send it to them – thanks for the suggestion.
As a chef who has traveled extensively, and in SE Asia, your article and photos are excellent. You have certainly done your homework. I’ve saved this for reference.
Thanks a lot Marc, I appreciate it!
Mark, outstanding work bringing those glorious photos to light. The colors are amazing. It’s so good to learn about a food I know almost nothing about. I’d really like to visit Sri Lanka someday. Now, even more so. Thank you for that.
Are there Durians in Sri Lanka?
No problem Collen, I’m really glad that you like this article! Yes, in fact there is Durian in Sri Lanka – unfortunately I didn’t try any (as it wasn’t really season and they were expensive), but there were some at the market!
Colleen, There are Durians in Sri Lanka. But this is not the season. Some peoples have addicted to Durians because of the taste. But Some are don’t like to the smell. So visit Sri Lanka to eat Durian.
Hey Lakmal, when is the main season when durian is available in Sri Lanka? I might have to make a trip back for durian season!
August is the best time of the year to try out some seasonal goodies, Mark! You can try Duriyan as well as Rambutan, Mangosteen, Seasonal mangoes, Avocados and a LOT more!!! Since it is the season, these fruits are fairly cheap too!!!!
Hope it helps!!!!!!
Thanks for sharing Supul, I’d love to return to sample some of your suggestions in August!
RAMBUTAAAN!!!!!!!!!!!
I beg everyone to try this. They sell it in our market, MK, and its reallly good. And yh august is the best time of the year.
What a timely post! We have just decided to add Sri Lanka to our itinerary next year and I really know nothing about the country. Good to hear they have Samosas!
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Awesome to hear that Christy! You guys will have a great time and get to eat some delicious food! If you like samosas, also try the fish/chicken cutlet balls – excellent!
Wow! Those foods look absolutely delicious! I could almost eat my monitor. I’ve never had a reason to go to Sri Lanka but now I have 40!
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Awesome, thanks so much for the comment Carly!
The sweet syrup on curd is called ‘kithul treacle’. It’s liquid jaggery. Next time, try out kiri bath, milk hoppers and seeni sambol (not at the same time though)
Lovely post. You’ve made me very homesick though!
Thanks so much for the comment and for the tip on kithul treacle – I’ll get that into the article. I hope and can go back to Sri Lanka soon and try more food – there’s still lots to taste!
Just came to your site and couldn’t resist looking at this post
I was about to say try Kiribath (Milk rice) but found it here in Gutterflower’s comment 
That is like one of the main sri lankan traditional food. You can eat it with “lunumiris” or “seeni sambol ” ( fried onions with spices… so yummy) or something sweet like jaggery or sugar…
Kithul treacle is expensive so most shops use syrup made from mix of kithul (a palm like tree.. can’t remember the english name ..sorry.) and sugar… so it is really hard to get real kithul treacle… the real one tastes soooooo good …
You should also try “kiri kos” which is a curry made from jack fruit but the fruit should be ripen than the one in your jack fruit curry (we call the jack fruit curry you have shared “polos”). it is cooked with coconut milk…
also you might like some sri lankan pickles.. which made any meal extra yummy and add flavor.. it’s made with small onions, carrots, beans, chilli, papaya (not ripe) and mustard , pepper and vinegar for taste…
you would also like the prawn curry cooked with coconut milk…
and also dried fish curry (cooked with coconut milk) or tempered with onions…
of course all these are very tasty when cooked at home in clay pots….
I should stop here before I go mad thinking about all these food….
Haha, I’m getting hungry just reading your comment Dinusha, thanks so much for sharing! Sounds like you also have a passion for food too. Makes me want to get back to Sri Lanka now for some more eating. I think I tried some Sri Lankan pickles before, and like you said, they were delicious – really bursting with flavor. The prawn coconut curry sounds fantastic as well!
WELL done Dinusha, Next time pls introduce Mccurry products to your guests. Its Amazing. They have two different megafactories for srilankan authentic foods manufacturing. Pls keep it in your mind and don’t forget to visit those outlets around the country. Any overseas demand also they are catering at present. Therefore MC currie products are now available whole over the worlds foods markets (MRE). cheers
Good post man, you’ve made our food more interesting with a foreigner’s take on it. Next time you come here, find the oil cakes, and other traditional sweets. (it’s called ‘kavum’ here) pretty damn good..
Thanks for the advice Sachintha – I’ll definitely try the kavum next time!
Hey, nice post, but one thing you made a little mistake on… Those were not broad beans. They look like broad beans or even Brazil nuts, but they are the seeds of the jackfruit. Sri Lankans eat jackfruit in three stages – First, before they ripen (called polos – you mentioned it in your article), then when it’s semi-ripe, when it reaches it’s full size (we call this kos) and third as an out and out fruit (depending on the variety, it can be either Waela or Waraka, the difference being the texture and the taste). Of course if you’ve been to Malaysia, you’d know about their use of jackfruit as a fruit (and something that amazed me as a Sri Lanka, a flavour of Ice Cream).
Nirmal, I think Kale Coconut Salad would be nice to call as Gotukola Sambal.
However, Mark, this is really a great job. I think you have a nice sharp eye and a good sense of taste as well.
Thumbs up from here!
Thanks for the tip Indunil, does that mean that the kale coconut salad is known as “gotukola sambal” or “mallum?” Thanks for your help!
Hey Nirmal!
I really appreciate your help and comment. I’m going back into the post now to make the correction. Yah, I agree, jackfruit is such an amazing (and versatile) fruit – and it’s so delicious in all stages. In Thailand they are famous for mango and sticky rice, but there’s also durian and sticky rice and jackfruit and sticky rice too!
Like Gutterflower and Sachintha said, you have to come down in April when the New Year celebrations are on. Then you’ll really have a taste explosion with the seasonal fare. That’s when all the really sweet stuff come out and you’ll have at least 10 more to add to the list.
Really great article Mark. Much kudos. You’ve really captured the essence of our food.
I appreciate it Dili! I’d love to come back to Sri Lanka during the New Year – I had an amazing time while I was there – and I’d like to eat more delicious Sri Lanka food! Thanks!
I think you missed Cashew (Kaju) Curry and Biriyani to name a few. Lumprise is the jewel of the crown which has Beef, Mutton (Goat) & Chicken curry (cooked together) with many vegetable curries as well as a cutlet, wrapped and baked in banana leaf. (Check out Bordain’s “No reservation” Sri Lanka for more info.) The best Chinese Rolls are made with minced Lamb. …… Now I’m hungry and homesick. Thanks Mark for the great article & fantastic photography.
Thanks for the comment DJ! That cashew curry sounds amazing – I need try some of that! There are definitely still many Sri Lankan foods I haven’t gotten to eat – but so far all that I have tried have been excellent! I’m going to have to find the episode of Bourdain in Sri Lanka. Thanks for checking out this article!
What about Ambulthiyal? YUMMMM
I’ve never had that – but I’d love to try it also! Thanks for the input Peumali!
Great website! Can I write for you??!
Hey Aadhil, thanks for the comment!
What do you write about? Do you have a blog? If you are interested in writing an article please contact me here: http://migrationology.com/contact-me/
Thanks!
i hope you enjoyed Sri lanka… my mother is Sri Lankan so i went to sri lanka and visited it for the first time, and like you said, it is beautiful and the food is amazing… luckily i get to eat it everyday and since my mom owns a Sri lankan cafe/ restaurant in Canada…
Hey Sisi, thank you so much for sharing – you’re lucky!!!
Hello Sis,
Where is your mum’s restaurant located? Are you in Toronto Area?Please let me know.It’s nothing like home made Sri lankan food.
Mark,thank you for your posts.
Great article Mark.
But I was surprised to see that lots of delicious and important dishes are missing from this list.
1.Kiri Bath (Milk Rice-made with country red rice ,coconut Milk and salt) a traditional dish that every sri Lankan makes for any special occasion.Mainly for New Year.eaten with Lunu Miris,Fish/Chicken curry and also can be eaten with Kitul (Palm) Juggary if u like sweet.My Canadian friends’ favourite.
2.Sweetmeats like Kavum,Kokis,Aluwa,Mung Kavum,Athirasa,Pani Walalu,Kalu Dodol.Again these are traditional dishes made for the Sinhala and Tamil New Year.
3.String Hoppers-made with Rice flour,salt and water eaten with Coconut Sambol,Fish/Chicken curry, White Potato curry or Dhal curry
4.In Sri Lanka Kale is not available.So it should be corrected as “Gotukola Sambol”
5. Sambol is like a salad, the uncooked version of Mallum.
6. Pol Roti is not cooked with coconut Milk.It is made with freshly grated coconut,salt,water and all pourpose flour and made like a dough then small portion of the dough flaten and cooked on a griddle till ligth golden.
Awesome Menaka – thanks for taking the time to contribute this extra information! I definitely wasn’t able to try everything in Sri Lanka, but I’m going to have to return and eat some more! I’ll make a few corrections to the original article. Thanks again!
I hate you just a little bit right now. I’m starving and your fantastic photos of delicious looking food are not helping!
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Haha, thanks Chris – I know you can find some good food wherever you are!
Now I’m in Sri-Lanka, enjoying the local food and getting fat and happy
yesterday even had a cooking class, so I can take these tastes back home.
Great post!
Haha Awesome to hear that Zroob – I think I gained a few kilos in Sri Lanka! Cool that you got to take a cooking class too!
Hey Mark I’m a Sri Lankan. I tumbled to this article by accident. But I loved it and u got it right – koththu is SL’s hamburghur!!!!! plus u made me really hungry!
So good to hear this Ayndrie, thanks so much for stopping by! Kottu is delicious – I would love some more now!
WOw! lovely images and love the foods from sri lanka
Thanks Rose!
Hi Mark,
I’m a Srilankan and a food blogger now living in Dubai.So happy to see this post and it makes me nostalgic.You were right when you said no two curries taste the same.As Srilankan muslims,we have the same dishes with a different method of cooking.Good job!
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Hi Farwin, thanks for checking out this article! Cool to see your blog as well – great article and mouthwatering photos! I’m going to be checking out some of your recipes soon! I’m not sure if I got to try Sri Lankan Muslim style food, but I’m sure it’s equally as delicious and I’d love to try some as well! Thanks for the input!
Found this post via a link from a friend. I was delighted to see that you’ve enjoyed Sri Lankan food like a Sri Lankan do. Most folks passing through or on a visit don’t try this much and this wide a variety. I’m Sri Lankan and even I haven’t tasted some from this list. Well done, sir.
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Thanks a lot Gaveen, I’m really happy to hear this! I had an incredible time in Sri Lanka and your food is awesome!
Great job Mark…..I appreciate it….if you visit again why don’t you go to down south of the country? where you can try best “Ambulthial”. It is a kind of fish curry, made with fresh fish, black paper, red chilly powder, Goraka, and little bit of cinnamon and curry leaves. down south housewives can cook the best Ambulthial ever in Sri Lanka. It’s gravy is perfect with milk rice (Kiribath)…
Thanks for the comment and the recommendation Jeewanthi. Unfortunately, I ran out of time before I got to explore everywhere I wanted to in Sri Lanka, but I’d love to return again and spend more time in the south. That Ambulthial sounds awesome, and I’m sure it’s really delicious when it’s home cooked. I’d love to try it!
Hi Mark…you’ve done a great job…As a Sri Lankan I’m proud of you…keep it up mate….
Good Luck..
I really appreciate it Dinesh, thanks!
Great Initiative. Very well done. Mouth watering photos. Love the presentation of food that drives one mad.
Awesome, thanks for checking this out Sivam!
mouthwatering pictures. =) loved them. You should try these the next time you go ,
1. Ambulthiyal (a kind of sour tasted fish common in the south area)
2. String Hoppers
3. Lavariya (sweetened coconut wrapped with a string hopper)
4. Kiri Bath (milk rice)
5. Kiriya (made entirely with rice flour and tastes very milky)
6. Halapa and Wandu (its a sort of cupcake wrapped in a Halapa leaf and steamed)
7. Achcharu (there are many variations, Papaw Achcharu, Malay Achcharu,.)
Wow, thanks for taking the time to add these other Sri Lankan dishes Anuradha!
I had an incredible time eating in Sri Lanka, but I definitely didn’t get to try everything! I hope I can return and eat some more. Thanks again!
Dear Guy’s, you all are more than welcome to visit Sri Lanka, and visit our house for nice delicious food and Sri Lankan hospitality at my place for Free any time.
From Dec 2012 though, sorry
here’s my e-mail nptira@gmail.com
Thanks Tira for the invitation! I really appreciate it and if I visit Sri Lanka again I’ll let you know!
Any time Mark, and thanx for your lovely comments about my country. I’m glad you had a nice time in Sri Lanka.
Mark,
Cool stuff here. I’m in the south, near welligama – any tips?
Also looking for impeccable Sri lankan eating experiences in galle….
Any tips hugely appreciated.
Hey Crisp,
I’m real sorry, I didn’t make it to Welligama and I only had time to spend 1 day in Galle, so I ended up just snacking and eating rice and curry around the bus station.
Hope you have a wonderful time traveling in Sri Lanka!
If you guy’s wants to know some nice places to eat around colombo.
1) Beach Wadiya – Location City: Wellawatta Beach Colombo-06, Street: Marine Drive
2) Steam Boat – Location City: Mount Laviania, Street: Beach Rd
Cool, thanks for sharing!
Go to “The Dinning Room” Amangalla in Galle
#10 Church Street, Galle Fort, Galle.
Tel: 0912233388
Hi Crisp,
Go to “The Dinning Room” Amangalla in Galle
#10 Church Street, Galle Fort, Galle.
Tel: 0912233388
I love this place called “Sambolaya”, but it’s in Havelock Rd ,Colombo.-5
Durian…Its a ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT…or HATE IT WITH EVERY FIBER IN YOUR BODY fruit…haha…luckily, im on the love it side of things
Awesome to hear that you are also a fan of the best fruit in the world!
you need to visit Sri lanka ,
you will get full of fun and lot of experiences with in sri lanka ….
Don’t try every thing near roods …… you will get sick..
i’m really get impressed by eating with hands , it is very Delicious try that on home…
As a sri lankan ,
Welcome you all to Sri Lanka !!
Bhathiya recently posted..hello !
Thanks a lot Bhathiya, I had an incredible time in Sri Lanka and would love to return sometime for another visit!
And Don’t forget to visit to temple of tooth !!!
Bhathiya recently posted..hello !
Yah, I wasn’t able to make it, but I know it’s one of the most important places in Kandy!
U have missed “KIRI BATH” (MILK RISE)
Our MAIN MEAL on special occasions.
here is a photo of it
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JExgjuQ5KG0/TjlQyh4-GkI/AAAAAAAAAog/OYJ77dFCRgQ/s1600/kiribath.jpg
This is maid with rise and coconut milk
Thanks for sharing Dilshan, yes, that’s something I missed and I need to go back to eat!
And also “kawm” (oil cake) …
you need to taste that
here is some of them ….
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_WBtNGwQ_CeE/TF5sn9MdqrI/AAAAAAAAANc/Ntpev4vzzUU/s1600/Pani+Walalu.jpg
http://lesauce.typepad.com/.a/6a00e5506b058d8834015431ed1497970c-600wi
http://www.imagelanka.com/gallery/img_originals/user_gallery_14/culture_and_religion_28/new_year_foods_20090320_1834015029.jpg
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fuiAY1-icxg/S88J9XWxwOI/AAAAAAAABdo/B7jIExi8v7c/s320/DSC04628.JPG
and also Kottu is not our food it is from india ….
try to eat oil cake … this is also we eat with milk rice in on special occasions.
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Cool, thanks for sharing that and the photos as well Bhathiya! I hope I can get back to try some more Sri Lanka food!
Dear Mark
First of all thanx for visiting my country and giving their flavour to the world
I like your moto street food simple living. I have noticed many comments about Ambul Thiyal
You have to try it Down south style and their is a another dish you missed Jaadi (salted pickle fish
if iam right)
You said you have tried Kithul triklle try that with simple roti or with vaniila ice cream
Sri lanka is the stop just before the Hevan
All the best friend let us know your next trip to Paradise
Awesome, thanks for the comment Saman!
I’ll be sure to eat Jaadi next time I’m in Sri Lanka.
Hope you are doing well and thanks again for checking out my site!
Hi Mark, even though it’s not considered a “traditional” Sri Lankan dish. Some of the Chinese restaurants in Colombo have this special Chinese-Sri Lankan dish (in the same way that General Tso’s chicken is a Chinese-American dish) that my friends and I love. It’s not found outside SL as far as I’m aware. It’s called hot buttered cuttlefish and in some cases it’s served deviled with pieces of sliced capsicum. Restaurants like Chinese Dragon and Peach Valley in Colombo serve it. There are other restaurants too. I haven’t been to Colombo for a while so ask around and see where’s the best place to go. Also I love the lamprais (that people mentioned earlier) from either the Dutch Burgher Hall or Green Cabin. Loved your list and photos
Thanks for these suggestions Dimitri! That Sri Lankan Chinese dish sounds great – would love to try it next time I make it to Colombo. Thanks for taking a look at this article and for the comment.
Food heaven, it really is
Definitely!
Hey Mark, I’m going to Sri Lanka next week feb. 13 and i’m gonna find and try all these food you listed!
Hmm i’m actually thinking of spending more time on food tripping than sight seeing hehe…thanks for your blogs…you inspire people to travel. Love your blogs about our country Philippines and guess what, you’ve done more than i did! Well, when i’m back there, i’m gonna follow also your suggestions. Cheers to travellers and bloggers!
Thanks for the comment Joan and good to hear that you’ll be visiting Sri Lanka soon. Be sure to check out some of these other comments where people suggest some more things to try and even some places to try them. Hope you have fun!
Awesome that you’re from the Philippines, I spent about 2 months there and absolutely loved it. I’d love to return and do more – so much to do and see. I’m also a big fan of Bicol Express!
Thanks again and have a fun time in Sri Lanka!
nice one mark..you doing a great job..you introduced lots of Sri Lankan foods to world through this web site and from your Facebook uploads… In one comment I saw you asked what is the season for “Durian” As I know the best and chepest time for Durian in SriLanka is the end of the year
August-december it is a good time to Durian
also you asked gotukola mallum or gotukola sambal…bot hare correct…
Wish u all da best for your further journeys…take care…. sage journey
Thank you very much Rajitha! Good to know the durian season in Sri Lanka – hopefully I can return during the season for a taste of Sri Lankan durian. Thanks for the comment and for checking out my website.
hello,
i need how to make chicken rotti and veg rotti ,let me send,
thanx
vemal
Great Vemal! Hope they all turned out delicious!
Hi, This is a great summary for some of the best classic Sri Lankan dishes. I hope you were able to sample the majority of them whilst on your travels. Please can I link it to my blog, because people ask me about the cusine and your post is a good start.
Hi Dini, thanks a lot for reading this article. Yes, feel free to link my article as a link in your blog. Thanks for your support!
Hi Mark
I love sri lankan food and the way you trying is fantastic.
Thanks Kali!
Great article!! AGAIN!
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Thanks you Ankie!
Maan the pictures are killing me
I can’t wait to go back home.
Thanks for taking a look Jeevs!
Great to see all the Sri Lankan deliciousness! Thanks for posting the cool photos. I totally can’t get enough of this stuff. Can’t wait to visit Sri Lanka someday myself. Been to South India a few times but just need to get a few extra weeks and cross the waters.
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Thank you so much for taking a look at this article and glad you enjoyed it JPM. Hope you have a chance to visit Sri Lanka soon, and I would love to visit South India as well!
Just returned from Sri lanka..These pictures tempt me so much that I want to go back home….
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Awesome to hear you just visited Sri Lanka. How was your trip? Were you able to eat lots of food?
I am visiting your blog again. Just looking at those awesome Sri Lankan food tantalizes my taste buds. I’m a foodie lover too and proud to be a Sri Lankan.
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i was amazed after looking at these pictures. yummy. Next time try some smooth string hoppers with pol sambol and dhal curry or some fish curry or pol mallun. And some homemade kiribath with lunu miris. ah, eat pol sambol and fried dry-fish (spiced with onions) with rice. that’s my favourite. you’ll go mad if you eat them. And rice with fish curry and scraped coconut. i saw here are lots of suggestions for you. Try them all. We like to see you visiting our country and having these great experience. Come again to sri lanka.
Thank you for your kind comment Nimali, I would love to return to Sri Lankan again! Next time I will surely eat all the things you suggested, they all sound so fantastic!
We just returned from a holiday to Sri Lanka, and fell in love with the food, its very similar to Goan food, which is where i am from, but its got a different twist to it. I was keen to learn more and bought a cookbook from the airport, but realised later, than the chef used a lot of local words when he referred to his ingredients.
Have tried to find out what they mean on the internet, but only got a few common ones. Would you have any idea where i can get a glossary of names of fruits and veggies that are local there so i can start cooking?
tks a ton
Hi Mark,
I was so happy to have come across your page on Sri Lankan foods BEFORE I went and tried as many as I could. I just got back recently….a few pounds heavier
I have to admit that I didn’t like the woodapple juice though. By the way, I also love your videos on YouTube – you might want to add the links to the egg hopper and woodapple ones to this page.
….and if when you go back to Sri Lanka (’cause I know you will), you have to try the seafood in the south. I had prawns that were as long as the length between my wrist and my elbow and they were absolutely deeelicious….and so were the crabs!
Hi Julee, thank you very much for sharing and it’s so good to hear that you had a fun trip to Sri Lanka and were able to eat so much delicious food. I’ve been meaning to go back in the article and add more content that has since published, but just havent yet, will do soon – thanks for the reminder. Wow, those prawns sound amazing, makes me want to go back to Sri Lanka now!
WOW — this is quite the list Mark! I’ve been itching to try some Sri Lankan food, but unfortunately, there are no restaurants nearby my flat. are the spices similar to Indian or slightly different?
either way, as I looked at this picture’s, I could smell the curry aroma… Oh my God… *melts*
- Maria Alexandra
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Hey Maria, thanks for checking this article out. Sri Lankan food I think is closely similar to southern Indian food, yet still quite a bit different. I haven’t been to India yet, so I’m not fully sure of the exact ingredients that would be different. Do you have plans to visit Sri Lanka sometime? The food is wonderful, I know you’d enjoy it! Hope you can find some Sri Lankan food soon!
I’m making a list as we speak. I hope to try at least half of these during my time in Sri Lanka next month!
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Excellent Ramon, you’ll enjoy it!
I will take my time to read all the articles.
I will be travelling to Sri Lanka for my 2nd visit in Nov.
I loved my first trip and also loved the food.
Thank Wendy, great to hear you’ll be returning to Sri Lanka. It’s also one of the most amazing places I’ve been! Have a great trip!
Awesome. I’m a Sri Lankan and even I feel hungry for the way you have described.
Ambul Thiyal (fish slowly baked on low fire in a paste of spices)
Pumpkin Curry
Wambatu Moju
Malay Achcharu (An appetizer)
Mango Curry
Ash Plantain Curry
String Hoppers deserve a separate section.
Sprat curry/ Sprat fried
Are some of my faves that you should try.
Take Care
Not to mention the utterly yummilicious prawn curry / cuttle fish curry and the prawn wadey (isso wadey) ]
Hey Champ, thank you for these extra suggestions! My mouth is now watering just remembering all this Sri Lankan food and these suggestions you’ve mentioned. I hope to return sometime for more food!
String hopper pilaf and Lump rie need to be mentioned don’t forget to try Love cake and bibikkan Sri Lankan coconut cake…
Thanks Indira!
Wonderful website and video on Colombo (and the food of course!). I really like your commentaries too, they are informative and accurate! The Colombo video really took me on an emotional trip down memory lane as it has been almost 39 years since I left as a small girl. We are going back for the first time in November and your articles and videos now have got me jumping out of my skin with excitement. Thank you!!
Hello Chitra, thank you so much for stopping by, and I’m so glad you enjoyed my articles and videos. It’s so great to hear that you are going back for a visit soon. Hope you have an incredible trip, all the best, and be sure to enjoy some wonderful food for me!
io sono cingalese di origine ,tra una settimana parto e vado in Sri Lanka non vedo l’ora di provare ogni varietà di frutta tra cui le mini banane rosse e il coconut ,poi a merenda mangiare l’hopper accompagnato da un bicchiere di Ginger beer e dimenticavo un dolce che mi fa impazzire è il wattalapam nessuno di voi l’ha provato è una sorte di budino con la nota della noce moscata
I had Sri Lankan food for the first time today at a restaurant in Berlin. It was soo good and I would really like to go back to try it out more. Thanks for a great post – I will look at it next time, so I understand a bit more about the food in the menu
Hey, that’s great to hear you enjoyed it so much! Hope you can get some more delicious Sri Lankan food soon!
WOW….! This article is awesome.
Thank u for the information Mark.. & also “GREAT GREAT PHOTOS” This was very helpful for my project… Tc
I’m a Sri Lankan. Even all these food are very normal to me, I also felt hungry while reading your descriptions. Now i’m drinking some Woodapple Juice, & amazingly I can enjoy it’s taste more than normal…
Hey Dilushika! Thank you very much for checking out this article, and glad you enjoyed it! Woodapple juice sounds great!
Dear Mark,
Your presentations are amazing regarding Sri lanka. and your ambessidorship is highly appreciated. Thank you very much. merry christmas and happy new year
Thank you very much Aruna, I really appreciate you checking this out. Merry Christmas to you as well!
These dishes looks so delicious, have to go to Sri Lanka soon. Thanks for this article.
My contribution for this post
http://www.blog.ilhamfx.com/5-awesome-sri-lankan-food/
Hi Mark,
great article…
We would like to publish this article on our magazine Colombo Things to Do with full credits to you. hope this is ok…Await your feedback asap.
cheers!
Farill Farook
Dear Mark, thanks for interesting information about Sri Lankan food! I translated it into Russian
(with links to your site): http://lanka.ru/traveller/cuisine/
Hey Valeriy, cool to see that, thank you!
next time if u travel here let me know…u will have more delicious traditional foods
Thankx
Hey Lahiru, thanks a lot, would love to visit again, will let you know!
U Must visit again our country , because u have missed more food
Hey Lahiru, I hope to visit again!
Lovely Sri Lankafood images..mouth watering and thanks for sharing!
Please visit my blog too when you are free…you can have some sri lankan recipes and
food images.
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Hi, thanks a lot for stopping by, glad you enjoyed this article!
Tempting! Sri Lankan cuisine is a bit similar to cuisines from Kerala and Tamil Nadu! You have put out a delicious spread here! All pictures look great!
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Thank you very much for checking this out Shreeja. Are you from South India?
Hey good site, but what about fresh mango slices with chilli powder and salt?
This is served as a street food in a twist of newspaper and tastes fantasic.
Also the spicy cashew nuts sold on the street.
Hey Andrew, thanks for your extra suggestions. I did have quite a fee mangoes in Sri Lanka and they were wonderful!
wow! im so happy that you had a great time in srilanka
and yes enjoyed the food…we have all these curries like every week for lunch! and im kinda fed up of it 
but its great to know that people from other countries enjoy eating srilankan food 
got a sudden urge to visit another country and experiment on different food,its usually the fun part! 
Hey, yah, I really enjoyed Sri Lankan food and especially all the curries. Hope you can do some traveling in the future, food really is one of the best reasons to travel!
Wow………………… Great job Mark…………….
Thanks Rajith!
Thank you Rajith!