- Sri Lankan Cuisine -

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Sri Lanka by far is one of the most famous destinations in South East Asia that offer Roast Chicken Biriyani. Most Restaurants also offer delicious Mutton or Lamb Biriyani with Raita, poppadoms and other trimmings.

These restaurants typically follow up your meal with a huge aray of accompanying deserts and delicious Indian Milkshakes. 

A Must Try !!

Aluth Kade and also Galle Face Green

Aluth Kade, meaning “New Shop” in Sinhala, is a popular term used across Sri Lanka to describe an area or market where local street vendors sell fresh and delicious food at affordable prices. 

These food hubs are typically located in urban areas, near markets, or alongside bustling streets, attracting locals and tourists alike. 

Aluth Kade is where the vibrant street food culture of Sri Lanka truly comes to life.

From crispy fritters to savory curries, Aluth Kade has it all. 

Street food in this region is not just about eating on the go, it’s a social experience that brings people together to enjoy authentic Sri Lankan flavours in a laid back and casual environment. Galle Face Green by the beach is one such place with numerous venders selling hawker style foods.

Sri Lanka is also one of the most famous destinations in South East Asia for it's vegetarian and vegan cuisine. Most Restaurants offer crispy dosai, Idlies, Vadai and Samosas with all the trimmings. 

Delicious deserts such as Faluda, Wattalapam, Curd and Treacle as well as fresh fruit salads are not far away.

A Dutch Burgher influenced dish, Lamprais is rice boiled in aromatic stock and spices, accompanied by frikkadels (Frikkadella meatballs), a mixed meat curry, spicy shrimp blachan, an aubergine curry, seeni sambol (onions stir fried with lots of spice), fried ash plantain and a fried egg. 

All of this is then wrapped in a banana leaf and baked in an oven. 

Lamprais is ideal for special occasions with a large gathering of friends and family considering its richness and the time it takes to prepare. Lamprais is cooked twice, first the rice and the entrees are cooked separately and later what is already cooked is wrapped in a banana leaf and baked in an oven, which makes it a unique recipe. 

The aroma of the banana leaf after baking the ingredients is second to none and is definitely a must have when visiting Sri Lanka.

There are various seafood restaurants in Colombo and the suburbs, where you can sample a vast variety of freshly caught Crab, Prawn, Lobster and other seafood. 

Some of these restaurants have theme nights where they have seafood BBQs on the beach.

A drive leisurely down marine drive will not dissapoint you, with the number of casual dining establishments scattered through out.

Served in Various Sri Lankan Restaurants around the Island 

Hoppers and string hoppers are popular breakfast or dinner dishes in Sri Lanka.

Hoppers are much like sour-dough pancakes. The batter is fermented in the traditional way with a light palm toddy, which gives the hoppers a delicious liquor tang. Usually served with sambol.

There are several types of hoppers – egg hoppers and a couple of sweeter varieties.

String hoppers are made from rice noodles curled into flat spirals.

 It is served for breakfast and dinner with a thin fish or chicken curry, containing only one or two pieces of meat, a dhal dish, and a spicy sambol or fresh chutney.

Served in Various Sri Lankan Restaurants around the Island 

 It is the main meal in almost every household. A typical Sri Lankan meal consists of rice served with curry of fish, meat or poultry, several other curries made with vegetables and pulses such as lentils (Dhal).

 Condiments such as chutneys and sambols are included. These are generally spicy and are made from various ingredients such as coconut, onions, lime juice and chillies. All the dishes are placed on the table at the same time for consumption. 

Served in Various Sri Lankan Restaurants

 Puttu is generally cooked in an aluminium puttu kutti vessel with two sections. The lower section holds water and the upper section holds the puttu, where the rice mixture is inserted with layers of grated coconut. Perforated lids separate the sections to allow the steam to pass between them.  

 Puttu is often served along with curries, like fish curry, chicken curry, beef curry or kadala (chickpea) curry, and papadom. Also plantain, jackfruit, mango or banana is commonly served with it. 

 In Sri Lanka, pittu is usually accompanied with tripe curry, fish or a meat curry, coconut milk and a sambol. 

Served in Various Sri Lankan Restaurants, Aluth Kade Street Market and Galle Face Green

Kottu is a very popular street fast food in Sri Lanka. It is made of shredded pieces of Sri Lankan paratha bread that are stir fried with an assortment of spices and a choice of either Chicken, Beef, Mutton, Egg or Cheese.

A Vegetarian Kottu is also available, but ensure you specify when placing your order.
After a couple of chilled beers in the evening, it is the norm to request a spicy kick to this dish with extra Chillie. 

CLICK HERE TO WATCH IT BEING MADE

Served in Various Sri Lankan Restaurants around the Island

Sri Lankan Prawn curry is distinct in flavour when compared to prawn curries from other parts of the world. 

The secret to this is the distinctive blend of spices and herbs used that are unique to this island nation. The spices are hot but are usually adjusted according your preference. 

Sri Lankans enjoy an abundance of sea prawns caught at sea as well as the gigantic fresh water  river prawns. The accompaniments for prawn curry is usually steaming hot rice, a spicy dhal curry, hot coconut sambol (not for the faint hearted) and a variety of pickles and crispy poppadoms with one or more vegetable dishes.

Served in Various Sri Lankan Restaurants

Crab and chillies are a match made in Heaven. Sri Lankans are proud of the crabs freshly caught in their lagoons and seas. 

The crab curry is a national dish in Sri Lanka and traditionally, the crabs would be simmered in their shells with plenty of aromatic spices and coconut milk. 

The accompaniments for this heavenly dish after basking in the warm sun with a chilled beer would normally be steamed rice, a spicy dhal curry, hot coconut sambol (not for the faint hearted) and a variety of pickles and crispy poppadoms with one or more vegetable dishes. 

It is recommended that you dive in with your fingers to enjoy this dish to it's utmost.

Served in Various Sri Lankan Restaurants

Succulent pieces of tender pork stir fried with Capsicum, Onions, Garlic and Tomato, with a generous helping of authentic Sri Lankan spices including Chilli powder. It is cooked on a high heat in a wok. 

It is usually served as an accompaniment to Roast Paan or Rice.

A cool beer will not go to waste.