Travelling to exotic countries means discovering hidden gems in these remote areas. Sri Lanka is gaining popularity as an alluring destination, where you can take yourself out of the comfort zone and be immersed in a new culture. Food is an important highlight of local culture, and is really worth trying. So if you want to become a foodie of the island and experience its best gastronomic delights, take a look at our selection of mouth-watering must-try Sri Lanka dishes.
Oh so Hot
Though Sri Lankan food has a lot in common with South Indian cuisine, it’s still unique in its own right. Sri Lankans love food that explodes with flavor and spices. Alongside coconuts and fish, spices, like green or red chillies are the most influential components of local cuisine. Sun dried red chillies are added to almost anything deep fried. Even the regular rice and curry are served with hot pickles and chutneys. Flatbreads and spicy fish are also very common. Lunu miris and Pol Sambol are highly recommended as distinct Sri Lankan dishes with rice as the dominant ingredient.
Sweet, So Sweet
Sri Lankans are obsessed with sugar as much as with hot spices. Sugar is used not only in deserts and drinks, but also in sweet and savoury sauces. To begin with, you should try milk tea, the most important component of which is the sugar, a lot of sugar to be more correct. You can find this drink at almost every café. One thing to mention: instead of regular sugar the locals use the organic sugar called jaggery, which is another dominant ingredient used in all sweet dishes and drinks. It resembles brown sugar, but has bigger solid chunks and is healthier. Full cream curd and sweet syrup, pittu (flour and coconut funnel cakes) and Halapa are the famous sweet delights of the local cuisine. If you visit this country in mid-April during Avurudu (New Year), you’ll find a sweet fare in every household.
Healthy Eating
When you are on holiday, you want to take the best of the country you have visited, and sometimes eating right takes a backseat. And right after the holiday a “few” extra pounds remind you of your gastronomic delights in a very frustrating way. Choosing healthy meal options will help you not to regret later. Sri Lanka isn’t that dangerous in this regart, (sugary and spicy spoils aside) because healthy organic food is available almost everywhere. Fresh greens, fruits, and seafood are very common in this island. A whole lot of Sri Lankan blended greens can be found in Kola Kenda. Don’t worry, it has nothing in common with the Coke. It’s actually a thick green broth, which is called porridge sometimes, due to the fact that it’s a kind of “morning dish”. In general Sri Lanka offers food, which is healthy and yet delicious at the same time. A rare case in the modern world, right?
