Curries, Spices, Tea, and the Many Wonders of Sri Lankan Cuisine

Beautiful beach resorts, such as Coral Rock by Amaya in Hikkaduwa, are not the only exciting thing to expect from Sri Lanka. There is also the mouthwatering food, marked with multicultural influences, that give rise to a flavorful cuisine unique to the country.

Its most obvious influence is India, the 2 countries a mere 30 km apart, and also the fact that the main ethnic groups in Sri Lanka originally came from India. A lot of Sri Lankan cuisine mimics South Indian food, particularly that of the state of Kerala. They add a lot of coconut milk in curries, liberally use seafood, and opt for hotter chilies. The most popular dish is rice and curry, too. But there are many variations, depending on who cooks it. But commonly, it is served with chicken or fish, chutney, sambol, or pappadoms.

Next to the Indians, the British also left a huge imprint on Sri Lankan cuisine, after it became a colony in 1802. Tea is popular here, the center being Nuwara Eliya, chosen for its good mix of altitude, terrain, and warm climate, all most conducive for growing tea.

Meanwhile, when it comes to cakes, Sri Lanka follows after the Dutch or Portuguese. Three of the staples include the love cake, breudher, and bolo fiado. The first is made from semolina, cashews, and honey. The flavor is further enhanced with the addition of spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and rose water. Breudher, on the other hand, is a sultanas-studded Christmas butter and yeast cake. Finally, bolo fiado takes its form as a layer cake, made with pastry, dried fruit, and syrup. However, the most popular Dutch food celebrated in Sri Lanka today is not a cake, but a baked savory dish called lamprais. It is made from meat, vegetables, and rice, wrapped in a banana leaf, then slow cooked.

Lastly, there are the Muslims, also called Sri Lankan Moors. They are the descendants of Arab or Indian traders that brought with them delicious flat breads and samosas, desserts like the wattalappam, and Kitul syrup that is best served with curd, which is a kind of yogurt made from buffalo milk.

Make sure to sample these flavorful local food and get a taste of what is unique to the area the next time you stay in one of the many beautiful beach resorts in the country, such as Coral Rock by Amaya in Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka.