Must try local food- 10 food you should try in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is a tropical country which has rich & vast range of spices, herbs and ingredients. Though Sri Lankan food has parallels to Indian food, yet there are many distinctly its unique cuisines and cooking styles. The most accurate description of the stunning nation might be the land of “Rice & Curry”.

Here are some major and mouthwatering dishes you shouldn’t miss in Sri Lanka.

 

Sri Lankan Kukul Mas Curry (Chicken Curry)

One of most popular and common dish among every Sri Lankan, the spicy chicken curry.  A simple dish to make and there are many variations depending on the area & tastes preferences.

Main spices which are used for this dish are hot oil tempered cardamom, fennel seeds, cinnamon sticks, cloves and curry leaves. Later on spices like chili powder, curry powder, turmeric powder, lemongrass leaves and pandan leaves are added. The fresh coconut milk comes up as a rich gravy of the curry.  After mixing all these spices and ingredients, the curry will be ready in 20-25 minutes and most satisfying when served with hot rice, rotti and soft breads.  Holiday Packages in Sri Lanka

Parippu Curry (Dhal Curry)

The most common dish, can be seen in every restaurant, hotel and household. This dish is served in breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Fresh ingredients such as fresh green chilies, tempered turmeric powder, onions, curry leaves, mustard leaves mixed with thickened with a splash of coconut milk.

Wambatu Moju (Egg Plant Moju/ Egg Plant pickle)

Another popular traditional Sri Lankan mouthwatering dish “Egg plant Moju/Pickle”. The eggplant is a common vegetable in Sri Lanka which has a purple soft skin, long slender variety. Eggplant is cut into bite sized slices and fried until pieces become crispy.  It’s then mixed with sugar, red onions, green chilies, vinegar, mustard seeds, turmeric powder and red chili powder. Egg Plant Moju/Pickle is always served with hot rice and it will give you a slightly sweet, sour and salty taste is very sensational. Holiday Packages in Sri Lanka

Kottu Roti

Kottu Roti is the most popular street food of Sri Lanka among locals. When you walk on the busy and noisy markets or streets of Sri Lanka, you will hear a noisy sound of clanking metal on metal. Mostly when you are ordering a kottu roti, you can hear that kottu roti chefs make their own rhythmic music using those two metal blades.

The main ingredient of this mouthwatering food is “Roti” (made out of rice flour, smiliar to soft oval shaped pan cake). Roti are cut and chopped into small pieces using two metal blades, then add onions, vegetables such as tomatoes, leeks, carrots and adding few eggs, pieces of chopped chicken or beef or mutton.  Also salts, sauce and red chili are added during the chopping time.

Kottu Roti is served with spicy chicken/fish/beef or mutton curry sauce, which you pour over the entire plate. Kottu Roti is one of top Sri Lankan food which you should not miss during your holiday in Sri Lanka.

Pol Sambol (Coconut Sambol/ Coconut Relish)

It is not wrong, if we say that “there is no Sri Lankans without pol sambol”. Coconut Sambol is the most popular & the common dish among locals.  In Sri Lanka, coconut Sambol is used as an adorned or a side dish for everything & anything. This delicious dish goes with rice & curry (white rice & red rice), pol rotti (Coconut Roti), Bread, parata, naan rotti, String Hoppers, hoppers. If you are a coconut lover, this will be your most favorite authentic coconut dish without a doubt.

It takes only few minutes to make this dish, use grinded coconut, mix with red chili powder, few drops of lemon, little bit of salts, and curry leaves.

Kiribath with lunu Miris (Milk Rice and chili Paste)

 

Kiribath is another popular and a major food in Sri Lanka. This food is mainly served for breakfast and often served in special occasions, such as Sinhalese New Year and traditional wedding ceremonies. Kiribath is made out of rice (white & red) cooked with thick coconut milk. Chopped chili paste (Lunu Miris) is the most common dish of Milk rice, but sometimes fish curry or chicken curry comes as side dishes. 

Appa/Appam (Hoppers)

Hoppers are the Sri Lankan pancakes. Hoppers are shaped of a cup or some people use to say it looks like an UFO shaped food, made out a battered fermented rice flour & coconut milk. It is very interesting to look at making hoppers.  A special wok is used to cook hoppers which was medium high heated, swirl batter in the pan and out. Hoppers can be sweet or savory.

Egg hoppers are most favorite among locals.  An egg is cracked into the pan, cover and let cook for 2-3 minutes. Hoppers are loosen with a knife and you can eat with chili paste, chicken curry/fish curry or dhal curry. Even you can try with just a banana. 

Polos Curry (Green Jackfruit)

Green Jackfruit curry is another authentic Sri Lankan dish which is popular among Sri Lankans. This dish is always served with rice and curry.  Delicious Polos curry with pieces of tender jackfruit with a blend of aromatic spices.  Pieces of Jackfruit are cooked with onions, ginger, garlic, turmeric, curry leaves, mustard seeds and roasted curry powder.  After cooking those ingredients 2-3minutes, add fresh coconut milk to the pan and cook another 20 minutes until it gets the right color and the smell.

Polos curry is served with rice as well as people eat it with string hoppers, bread and sometimes with hoppers.

Ala Kiri Hodi (Sri Lankan Potato Curry )

In Sri Lanka, you will find our same looking curries and most of them are yellowish or red color. Sri Lankan Ala Kiri Hodi – Traditional Potato curry is one of mouthwatering, healthy food in Sri Lanka.  Also it is easy to cook and the taste is second to none. This is a day to day dish among Sri Lankans and mostly served for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Also it’s like a companion dish to Pol Sambol (Coconut Sambol).  This is mild spicy dish which every foreigner can taste, thick coconut milk does a big role in this curry along with green chili, turmeric powder, curry powder, curry leaves, cinnamon sticks, onion, garlic and salt. When you cook potatoes with all these ingredients for 20 minutes, the gravy becomes yellow and thick.  Potato curry is served with rice, roti, string hoppers or with breads. Holiday Packages in Sri Lanka

Pol Roti (Sri Lankan Coconut Roti/ Flat Bread)

One of most common, delicious and popular dish in Sri Lanka, especially served for the breakfast. The main ingredients of Pol Roti is wheat flour, coconut, hot water and salt. Pol Rotti is one of easiest food to make. Mix wheat flour, coconut, little bit of salt with hot water, make a paste, make as oval shaped flat breads. Put on the heated plate until both sides get fried properly. You also can mix the paste with onions, green chili and curry leaves. Pol roti is mainly served with chili paste, dhal curry as well as you can eat with butter and Jam.  Recommended to eat in hot. You will be never miss its taste.

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