Sri Lankan 9 Best Traditional Foods

Sri Lanka is an island that is lush and fertile brimming with vegetation. There is some food that is unique to Sri Lanka, called Traditional Foods. The three main foods of Sri Lankan cuisine are rice, coconut, and seafood. The Portuguese, Dutch and English colonizer’s oil has a big impact on the culture and food of Sri Lanka. These can still be seen today. There are so many traditional foods in Sri Lanka.

1. Kiribath

Kiribath is the main traditional food of Sri Lanka. It is made by cooking rice with coconut milk. When cook the Kiribath allows all the liquid to be absorbed. Then it is cut into blocks or beautiful shapes and served like slices of cake. It is often eaten with Lunumiris, Sambol, Chili sauce. Sometimes Kiribath is eaten with Jaggery.

Kiribath is made for special occasions like birthdays, New year, First day of the month. This is completely unique to Sri Lanka. Kiribath is an important dish to represent the new beginning transitions of life.

2. Rice and curry

Rice and curry are eaten everywhere, usually twice a day by everyone. Sri Lankan rice and curry consist of rice (Samba or Kakulu varieties) that is served with a variety of side dishes commonly called curries. There are at least three different curries served with rice. One of the curries is meat or fish and another two are vegetables.

3. String Hoppers

String hoppers are the other main traditional food in Sri Lanka. It is made from a thicker rice flour batter. Then it squeezed through a string hopper maker into thin noodles. Then it is steamed. String hoppers are popular for breakfast and dinner. It is served with a Curry and Sambol.

4. Fish Ambul Thiyal

Fish Ambul Thiyal is a preservative food item. It does not give a sour taste, but its one of the main ingredient is dried Goraka that gives a sour taste. Other ingredients in fish Ambul Thiyal are a blend of spices including Black Pepper, Cinnamon, Turmeric, Garlic, Pandan Leaves, Curry Leaves, and the dried Goraka.

5. Wambatu Moju

Wambatu Moju is another Sri Lankan food. It is often served as a side dish with other meal parts. It is made by deep-frying slices of eggplant then caramelizing those slices with sugar, vinegar, red onions, green chilies, mustard seeds, and turmeric. Due to the meaty texture of eggplant, it is perfect for making Wambatu Moju. When eating the Wambatu Moju, you feel sweet, sour, and salty test.

6. Hoppers (Appa)

Hoppers (Appa) are the next Sri Lankan traditional food. It is made of pancake batter, which is made with coconut milk and fermented rice flour. It is served with Lunu Miris, a type of Sambol made with onions, chilies, lemon juice, and salt. It is served for breakfast and dinner. Hoppers are made in a special hopper pan. It has a well-fitting lid to cover them while cooking.

7. Konda Kavum (or Kevum)

Konda kavum is another popular Sri Lankan traditional food we loved. It is served on special occasions like Sinhala and Tamil new year, Sri Lankan weddings. Kevum is a deep-fried Sri Lankan sweet made from rice flour and Kithul treacle, sugar syrup, and various spices.

8. Aluwa

Aluva is another one that is made from toasted rice flour, sugar syrup or Kithul treacle, ground cashew nuts, and spices such as cardamom or cloves. It is also served on special occasions like Sinhala and Tamil New Year.

9. Halapa

Halapa is another Sri Lankan traditional food. It’s made from Kurakkan flour, rice flour, treacle, cardamom, and grated coconut. The first step is the ingredients are cooked together and mixed until they develop a doughy consistency. The mixture is then flattened on Kanda leaves, then steamed until the dough firms up. It is eaten after the leaves are unwrapped.

Do you like to read our recipes in Gulab Jamun

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