Sri Lanka’s incredible cuisine stems from a liberal use of locally-grown tropical fruit, access to fresh seafood and a coveted arsenal of spices. Many dishes can be traced back to colonisation when traditional foods were greatly influenced by external elements. But even those dishes that have foreign roots are prepared with a Sri Lankan twist to suit local tastes, and have therefore become exclusive dishes of the Lankans. Here are some dishes you shouldn’t miss on your voyage to Sri Lanka.
* KottuUbiquitously found around the country, this dish is a local favourite among locals and tourists alike. From the smallest petti kades (small shops) on the side of the roads, to those winning five stars, the Kottu has found its way into gourmets’ culinary picks.Kottu is a simple amalgam of godamba roti (Sri Lankan roti), an assortment of vegetables, and egg or meat. What makes kottu distinctive is the sound associated with making it. One cannot simply roam the streets of Sri Lanka without having heard the clash of metal against metal, an indication fresh kottu is being made. There are over 20 types of kottu that can be found in the city of Colombo alone – these include masala, cheese, dolphin, palandi, and even chocolate kottu!
* Appa (Hopper)The not-so-ordinary pancake, made from fermented rice flour and coconut milk, is crisp on the outside and soft at the centre; it takes the shape of the circular, deep-mouthed tachchiya (hot pan) it is cooked in. Also known as the ‘hopper’ in Sri Lanka, this dish is indigenous to the Indian subcontinent and is prepared in multiple ways to create different variations. These vary from the plain hopper (appa), the egg hopper (biththara appa) which has an entire egg cooked within it, to its slightly sweeter variants – the milk hopper (kiri appa) and the pani appa (made using treacle). The hopper is ideally served alongside local side dishes like seeni sambol, dhal and lunu miris.
* Malu ambul thiyal (sour fish curry)Being an island nation in the tropical waters of the Indian Ocean gives Sri Lankans access to readily available fresh seafood. There is no shortage of seafood dishes in the Lankan cuisine. One popular, must-try dish is the sour fish curry or malu ambul thiyal that is preferably made with fresh tuna, but bonito or mackerel could also be used as suitable alternatives. A load of native spices and a special ingredient – goraka (aka malabar tamarind) gives this dish its unique tangy flavour. Initially this hot, peppery dish was developed as a means to preserve fish in the south, but has now become a favourite picnic curry. It is often enjoyed in conjunction with either rice or pol roti (a flatbread made using coconut).
* Lamprais
Another popular dish at gatherings is the lamprais. This is a dutch-burger influenced dish consists of the following: yellow rice, lampara curry, seeni sambol, fish cutlet, fried ash plantain curry, wambatu moju (eggplant) and fried boiled egg. The speciality of this dish lies in the fact it is cooked twice. First the rice and the entrees are cooked separately; the second time, the already-cooked constituents are wrapped in a banana leaf and baked in an oven to deliver a mouth-watering platter of lamprais.
* IdiyappamOne other dish that is an integral part of Sri Lankan cuisine is idiyappam (string hoppers). It is a light and easily digestible delicacy made of rice flour pressed into a noodle form and then steamed. This is a dish popular in south India and can be dated back to the first century AD. Idiyappam is generally served as a main course at breakfast or dinner together with curries. A simple yet coveted combination is with the ala hodi (potato curry), parippu (dhal) and spicy pol sambol (coconut sambol). In Sri Lanka, it is also sometimes consumed with coconut milk and sugar.