Pleasure Your Taste Buds With These Top Local Favorites in Sri Lanka

When asking for dining recommendations at your Sri Lanka accommodation, you will surely be offered with rice and curry. The country is known for how it has creatively worked around these dishes that sound all too plain. With a long list of spices under its belt, this cuisine is sure to leave you in awe. Discover the many wonders of the country's cuisine by asking for these local favorites.

Kukul Mas Curry

This common household dish in Sri Lanka is uniquely prepared depending on the region you're in. Preparation starts by stewing chicken for an hour. Locals usually add basic spices like curry and chili powders, turmeric, and pandan leaves. Some include fennel seeds, cinnamon sticks, and cardamom depending on their taste preference. Lastly, coconut milk is poured to add more taste and richness to the gravy.

Kottu

Take a bite of Sri Lanka's deconstructed version of the hamburger. Locals on the go usually grab this tasty and greasy treat when they hear the vendor clacking metal at the market. It's made of a flaky flatbread called roti. The cook fries and chops the bread, then adds the ingredients you will pick. It comes with a spicy curry sauce that you can take as a dip or just pour over your plate.

Lamprais

The influence of the Dutch in the country is evident with in every serving of lamprais. This meal is a combination of meat, rice, and chili sauce, which are all wrapped in banana leaf. Frikkadels or Dutch-style beef balls are mixed with the rice and is usually prepared with cloves or cinnamon. Lamprais packets are steamed until they are cooked warm and moist.

Appa or Appam

Sweet and savory, appa is Sri Lanka's take on the pancake. The batter used for this is quite simple. Rice flour, yeast, coconut milk, and sugar are mixed together. Egg is then added into the bowl, then the dish is garnished with onions, chilies, and salt. This one is a favorite, and locals often refer to it as “egg in the hole”. For great mornings, try this one for breakfast at your Sri Lanka beach resort accommodation.

Gotu Kola Sambol

Last on the list is one of the most popular green dishes in the country. Gotu kola, commonly known as pennywort, is a medicinal herb found in many parts of Asia. This is prepared as salad by shredding the herb and mixing it with tomatoes, shallots, and grated coconut. Some locals prefer to add lemon juice and pepper, while others eat it unseasoned. For a more powerful flavor, you can ask the server at your Sri Lanka accommodation to add chili sauce and then serve it along with curry and rice.