Top 5 Specialty Cuisines in Sri Lanka

The main dish in Sri Lanka is curry, a brown sauce containing a variety of ingredients, accompanied by staple foods such as rice and cakes. However, Sri Lankan curry tastes slightly different from curry in India and Southeast Asia. In addition to curry, fried snacks are also very common. Moreover, Sri Lanka is a world-famous black tea producer, and the locals are also very fond of drinking tea, so tourists are recommended to taste the tea as well.

Sri Lankan cuisine has a strong taste and a spicy taste, with rice, coconut meat, corn and cassava as the main ingredients. Sri Lankans especially prefer coconut milk and red peppers, which are essential spices in most dishes. In addition, as a tropical island country, Sri Lanka also offers inexpensive seafood and tropical fruits for you to enjoy.

There are 4 types of restaurants in Sri Lanka: hotels, tourist accommodation with restaurants, city restaurants and bakeries. It should be noted that the places with the word "hotel" in Sri Lanka are actually tea rooms and do not provide accommodation, which can be described as a big "weird" in Sri Lanka.

If you are not used to local dishes, there are authentic Chinese restaurants in major cities of Sri Lanka which are popular with foreign tourists.

Tips:

Although it is a religious country, Sri Lanka has relatively low alcohol requirements and it is not difficult to find alcohol. But it should be noted that not every store sells alcohol on the monthly "Boyer Day" (full moon day).

Top 5 specialty cuisines in Sri Lankan

Curry Rice

A bowl of rice, a bowl of curry, a bowl of soup, some stir-fries, a very spicy cold dish ... This is the curry and rice service from Sri Lanka. But please note that curry rice is not a "bowl", but "curry" and "rice" are separate.

Curry is roughly divided into meat, fish, vegetables and various dishes. In restaurants for locals, the curry is usually very spicy. But the dishes offered by high-end hotels and restaurants frequented by foreigners are milder.

Tips:

In fact, "Curry" is a misnomer for Sri Lankan cuisine referred to only by foreigners. The locals will not call this kind of food "curry". Therefore, when visitors visit restaurants facing locals, they will see the names of various Sri Lankan dishes, which makes people confused. However, in order to meet the international designation, tourists may also see the name "curry" on the menus of tourist destinations and major cities.

Seafood

As an island nation, seafood of Sri Lanka is naturally good quality and inexpensive. In the southern coastal towns, blue crab, lobster, and grouper are the most popular foods for tourists.

Tropical Fruits

Sri Lanka is rich in cheap tropical fruits, such as bananas, and golden coconuts (priced at 30-50 rupees), which are worth tasting. In addition, mango, mangosteen, rambutan, durian, passion fruit, guava and other more fruits are very cheap in Sri Lanka.

Ceylon Black Tea

Sri Lankan black tea (Ceylon black tea) is the most famous specialty here, and the locals are naturally also loyal lovers of black tea. When staying at the hotel, there will be a free cup of Ceylon tea for guests to enjoy.

Curd (Yogurt)

In Nuwara Eliya, Ella, and small seaside towns, a very thick milky white yogurt is sold, which is brewed by the locals. Paired with honey, Curd tastes sour and sweet, making it a good dessert.

Appa is a bowl-shaped pancake made by the people of Sri Lanka. It is often eaten for breakfast. The edges are crispy and the center is soft and flavored with coconut milk (can be fitted with eggs, chili).

Eating habits

Sri Lankans have a very special way of eating: serving food on banana leaves, grabbing food with the right hand, and rarely using utensils. When eating curried rice, take the sauce or soup with hands and pour it over the rice. But if you are not used to it, you can also ask for tableware. The restaurant also offers two types of water: bowls are for washing hands and cups are for drinking.