Baku Kitchen! An independent reference of traditional food

Sri Lanka

Ask what Sri Lanka eats and the answer starts with this: coconut, chili and curry leaves power rice-and-curry spreads, hoppers, kottu and fiery sambols. Look for Rice and Curry (daily spread of rice with several vegetable, fish or meat curries), Kottu (chopped godhamba roti stir-fried noisily with vegetables, egg and curry) and Hoppers (bowl-shaped fermented rice-coconut pancakes, often with an egg inside). Sri Lanka’s staple format of rice with several small curries and sambols; roasted spices, pandan and curry leaf set it apart from Indian cooking. This atlas has 37 Sri Lanka dishes catalogued below, from everyday cooking to food kept for festivals and special occasions.

37 dishes.

AchcharuAchcharuVegetables or fruit steeped in vinegar, mustard and chilli, sweet and sourAluwaAluwaDiamond-cut sweet of rice flour and treacle, firm and lightly cardamom-scentedCeylon ArrackCeylon ArrackGolden spirit distilled from coconut palm toddy and aged in halmilla barrelsCeylon TeaCeylon TeaWorld-famous highland black tea, drunk plain or milkyCoconut ToddyCoconut ToddyFresh sweet palm sap drunk unfermented, cool from the morning cut.Devilled ChickenDevilled ChickenChicken stir-fried with onion, capsicum and chilli in a sticky dark sauceFish Ambul ThiyalFish Ambul ThiyalSour dry tuna curry preserved with goraka fruitFish CutletsFish CutletsBreadcrumbed balls of spiced tuna and potato, deep-fried and eaten with sambolGotu Kola SambolaGotu Kola SambolaFinely shredded pennywort leaf with coconut, lime, onion and green chilliHoppersHoppersBowl-shaped fermented rice-coconut pancakes, often with an egg insideIsso WadeIsso WadeCrisp lentil fritter topped with whole prawns, sold along the Galle Face seafrontJaadiJaadiFish salted and packed in barrels for months until soft, sour and strong-smellingKavumKavumDeep-fried treacle oil cakes made for Sinhala New YearKimbula BanisKimbula BanisRidged sugar-crusted bun shaped like a crocodile's back, eaten with plain teaKiri HodiKiri HodiThin coconut-milk gravy with turmeric, curry leaf and lime, poured over hoppersKiribathKiribathCoconut milk rice cut into diamonds for new beginningsKithul TreacleKithul TreacleDark, smoky syrup boiled from fishtail palm sap, poured over curd and sweetsKokisKokisCrisp fried rosettes of rice flour and coconut milk, pressed from an iron mouldKola KandaKola KandaGreen herbal porridge of rice, coconut milk and pounded medicinal leavesKottuKottuChopped godhamba roti stir-fried noisily with vegetables, egg and curryKukul Mas CurryKukul Mas CurryChicken curry in roasted spice and coconut gravyLampraisLampraisDutch Burgher packet of rice, curries and frikkadel baked in banana leafLunu DehiLunu DehiLimes salted whole and matured in jars until soft, dark and intensely sourMalu PaanMalu PaanSoft bun stuffed with spiced fish and potato, sold from tuk-tuk bakeriesMee KiriMee KiriBuffalo curd set in unglazed clay pots, eaten with palm treacleParippuParippuCreamy coconut-milk red lentil curry, the everyday companionPittuPittuSteamed cylinders of rice flour layered with coconut, eaten with coconut milkPol RotiPol RotiThick griddled flatbread of flour and scraped coconut, torn and dipped in sambolPol SambolPol SambolGrated coconut relish with chili, lime and Maldive fishPolos CurryPolos CurryYoung green jackfruit simmered dark with roasted spicesRice and CurryRice and CurryDaily spread of rice with several vegetable, fish or meat curriesSeeni SambolSeeni SambolOnions caramelised with chilli, maldive fish and tamarind into a sweet-hot relishString HoppersString HoppersSteamed rice-noodle nests with dhal curry and coconut sambolThambiliThambiliKing coconut water drunk straight from the orange nut, cut open to orderUmbalakadaUmbalakadaRock-hard smoked and dried tuna, grated into sambols and curries for depthWambatu MojuWambatu MojuCaramelised pickled aubergine relish for festive rice

  • Achcharu

    Vegetables or fruit steeped in vinegar, mustard and chilli, sweet and sour. Ready in 40 min prep and 20 min…

  • Aluwa

    Diamond-cut sweet of rice flour and treacle, firm and lightly cardamom-scented. Ready in 20 min prep and 25 min cooking.…

  • Ceylon Tea

    World-famous highland black tea, drunk plain or milky. Ready in 2 min prep and 5 min cooking. 1 pot. A…

  • Ceylon Arrack

    Golden spirit distilled from coconut palm toddy and aged in halmilla barrels. A wine & spirit recipe from Sri Lanka.

  • Devilled Chicken

    Chicken stir-fried with onion, capsicum and chilli in a sticky dark sauce. Ready in 30 minutes prep and 20 minutes…

  • Fish Cutlets

    Breadcrumbed balls of spiced tuna and potato, deep-fried and eaten with sambol. Ready in 45 minutes prep and 25 minutes…

  • Fish Ambul Thiyal

    Sour dry tuna curry preserved with goraka fruit. Ready in 30 minutes prep and 45 minutes cooking. Serves 4. A…

  • Gotu Kola Sambola

    Finely shredded pennywort leaf with coconut, lime, onion and green chilli. Ready in 25 minutes prep and none cooking. Serves…

  • Isso Wade

    Crisp lentil fritter topped with whole prawns, sold along the Galle Face seafront. Ready in 30 minutes prep and 30…

  • Jaadi

    Fish salted and packed in barrels for months until soft, sour and strong-smelling. A fermented & pickled recipe from Sri…