From string hoppers to watalappam, get to know the delicacies this island nation offers that are found nowhere else
The teardrop-shaped island of Sri Lanka off the southern tip of India is a tropical paradise with picture-perfect beaches, ancient Buddhist temples, and exotic wildlife. But for food lovers, Sri Lanka's vibrant mix of cultural influences makes it a culinary wonderland. Over centuries of trade and colonial rule, Arab, Malay, and South Indian influences have blended with indigenous cooking styles to create unique dishes found nowhere else, while a troubled history has made much of the country's cuisine reliant on homegrown produce.
"One thing about Sri Lankan cuisine is that we are still tied to our land. We do everything with what's available here," Ministry of Crab co-founder Dharshan Munidasa tells Tatler Dining. "We are in a crossroads of all these waters mixing and hence the freshwater prawns are huge, the crabs are huge, the tuna is great."
Now a traveller's paradise, Sri Lanka offers a bounty of delicious, and in some cases novel, flavours for the intrepid foodie. Here are 10 essential dishes to sample on your next trip to Sri Lanka, for first-time visitors and seasoned travellers like.
Read more: 5 things you might not know about Sri Lankan cuisine
1. Rice and curry
No meal in Sri Lanka is complete without a hearty plate of rice and curry. Red, yellow, and green curries, usually made with meat or seafood, coconut milk and spices like chilli, cinnamon, and curry leaves, are presented in a spread—much like Korean banchan—along with an array of vegetable sides like okra, jackfruit, and eggplant. The curries are then ladled over mounds of fluffy rice, with the diner able to mix and match to their heart's desire.