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6 recipes · Sri Lanka

Sri Lankan kitchen

6 Sri Lankan recipes you can cook at home, from Polos (Sri Lankan Jackfruit Curry), Sri Lankan Beef Curry and Sri Lankan Chicken Curry to Watalappan (Sri Lankan Coconut Custard).

6 recipes

About Sri Lankan food

The Sri Lankan kitchen

Coconut, curry leaves and sour ingredients such as tamarind give Sri Lankan cooking a wide range of contrasts. A curry may be light and brothy, thick with coconut milk or cooked almost dry. Toasting spices adds depth, while lime and fresh coconut relishes bring a sharp finish to the plate.

Rice is often served with several small accompaniments, so a vegetable curry and a spoonful of sambol matter as much as the main pot. Breakfast can be gentle coconut milk rice, while kottu turns chopped flatbread into a filling meal. Build a small menu with different textures and heat levels, and add fresh relishes close to serving.

Questions, answered

What is a typical Sri Lankan meal?

Rice with a selection of curries and relishes is a useful starting point. The plate may include vegetables, lentils, fish or meat, with coconut sambol adding a fresh, sharp contrast.

Is Sri Lankan food very spicy?

Many curries use chili and black pepper, but coconut milk rice and other mild dishes balance the meal. Adjust chili separately from the aromatic spices so reducing heat does not remove all the flavor.

What is the difference between curry leaves and curry powder?

Curry leaves are aromatic leaves used fresh, frozen or dried. Curry powder is a blend of ground spices. They perform different jobs and cannot replace each other spoon for spoon.

What can I use instead of goraka?

Tamarind gives a useful sour note when goraka is unavailable. It is not identical: start with a little and taste, since both products vary in concentration.

What Sri Lankan dishes can I make at home?

Start with Pol Sambol (Sri Lankan Coconut Relish), Polos (Sri Lankan Jackfruit Curry), Sri Lankan Beef Curry, Sri Lankan Chicken Curry and Wambatu Moju (Sri Lankan Eggplant Pickle). Every recipe here is written for a home kitchen, with substitutes for anything hard to find.

What's the quickest Sri Lankan recipe?

Pol Sambol (Sri Lankan Coconut Relish), ready in 15 min.