Sri Lankan cuisine is known for its explosive flavours and the unique blend of exotic spices. This culinary variety is, in fact, a perfect representation of the resourceful islanders and the different ethnic groups that can be found here. When it comes to what to eat in Sri Lanka, foodies are spoilt for choice be it spicy or sweet, made with local ingredients that add to the tantalising taste of each dish. A quintessential Sri Lankan favourite, rice and curry is very much a part of the national cuisine. In fact, it is not uncommon for people to enjoy this staple diet for all three meals; while you get white and red rice varieties, it is served with meat dishes and a range of different veggies. To complement this culinary journey, a rice and curry dish usually also comes with a choice of accompaniments be it pickle, dried fish or coconut sambol. The various annual religious and cultural festivals present the ideal time to savour traditional dishes known as ‘sweetmeats’. Due to Sri Lanka’s multicultural nature, each community has their own specialities that you can try. Kavum a kind of hot oil cake can be enjoyed during the period of the Sinhala and Tamil New Year along with other traditional treats like kokis and aluwa. When the Eid season comes along, watalappam is a favoured dish and is a kind of sweet pudding made using jaggery and egg white.
