An island cuisine of rice and curry, defined by toasted spice blends, coconut sambols, and a heat level that ranks among the world's highest.
What it is
Sri Lankan cuisine is distinct from its South Indian neighbor, shaped by Portuguese, Dutch, and Arab traders who landed on the island for cinnamon — the world’s best — and the spice trade more broadly. A typical meal is rice surrounded by half a dozen curries, sambols, and a stir-fried green.
How it tastes
The signature is kalu thel — the deeply roasted “black curry powder” used in beef and pork curries that brings a near-coffee bitterness. Coconut milk and goraka, a sour tropical fruit, balance the heat. Sambols — fresh coconut pounded with chili and Maldive fish — are eaten with everything.
Signature dishes & techniques
Hoppers — bowl-shaped, fermented rice-flour pancakes often holding a runny egg — are the iconic breakfast. Kottu roti, godhamba flatbread chopped and stir-fried with curry on a griddle, is the country’s night-market sound. Lamprais, a Dutch Burgher rice parcel baked in banana leaf, marks every special occasion.
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Sri Lankan starts with S and ends with N. Browse other cuisines along the same letter.
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