Sri Lanka
Sri Lankan Food Guide for Travelers
Sri Lankan cuisine is fiery, coconut-rich, and distinct from Indian food. The island's rice and curry — rice surrounded by a dozen small curries — is one of the world's great meals.
Rice and Curry
Not one dish but a dozen. Rice surrounded by dhal, chicken, fish, vegetable curries, sambol, pickle, papadum. Mix and match each bite. Endlessly varied, costs almost nothing.
Hopper Culture
Fermented rice flour batter cooked in a small wok: crispy bowl with soft centre. Egg hoppers have runny egg. String hoppers are steamed noodle nests. Breakfast staples.
Kottu Roti
Sri Lanka's street food anthem. Rhythmic chopping of roti on a hot plate heard blocks away. Shredded flatbread stir-fried with curry, vegetables, egg.
Tea Country
Ceylon tea from hill country around Nuwara Eliya or Ella. A cup of fresh tea with misty mountain views is one of travel's great simple pleasures.
Must-Try Dishes
Rice and Curry
$Rice surrounded by 6-12 small curries: dhal, chicken, fish, vegetables, sambol, papadum.
Varies; rice-based, naturally gluten-free
Hoppers (Appa)
$Bowl-shaped crispy rice flour pancakes: plain, egg, or milk.
Contains coconut, rice flour; egg hopper has eggs; gluten-free
Kottu Roti
$Shredded roti stir-fried with vegetables, egg, meat. Rhythmic chopping is Sri Lanka's street music.
Contains gluten, eggs, meat
Pol Sambol
$Scraped coconut with chilli, onion, lime, Maldive fish.
Contains coconut, fish; gluten-free
Fish Ambul Thiyal
$Sour fish curry: tuna with goraka fruit. Dry, tangy, intensely flavoured.
Contains fish; gluten-free
String Hoppers
$Steamed rice noodle nests eaten with curry.
Contains rice flour; gluten-free
Menu Vocabulary
| Term | Meaning | Category |
|---|---|---|
| Bath | Rice | Staples |
| Curry | Any sauced dish | Courses |
| Sambol | Condiment/relish | Sauces |
| Kiri | Coconut milk | Ingredients |
| Mas | Fish | Proteins |
| Kukul mas | Chicken | Proteins |
| Isso | Prawn | Proteins |
| Bill ekak | The bill | Dining |
Dietary Restriction Guide
Vegetarian
Excellent options. Dhal, vegetable curries, pol sambol, hoppers. Buddhist influence means many offer vegetarian meals. Say 'mas naethuwa'.
Vegan
Many curries are naturally vegan (coconut milk base). Dhal, jackfruit curry, vegetable curries, hoppers. Ask 'umbalakada naethuwa' (without Maldive fish).
Gluten-Free
Naturally very gluten-free friendly. Rice, hoppers, string hoppers. Avoid kottu roti and wheat roti.
Common Allergies
Coconut in almost everything. Fish (Maldive fish flakes) in many condiments. Very spicy. Say 'mata ___ allergy'.
Ordering Tips
- •Rice and curry: mix rice with a bit of each curry using right hand.
- •Hoppers are breakfast food. Find a hopper stall in the morning.
- •Sri Lankan food is VERY spicy. Ask for 'miris tikak' (less chilli).
- •Tipping 10% appreciated. Service charge may be included.