Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
RICE & CURRY
The national dish, Sri Lankan rice and curry is a complex, intricately spiced array of indi-
vidual vegetable (and often meat and fish) dishes, served with rice. Chutneys andsambol
(a condiment made from ingredients pounded with chilli) add heat and additional flavour.
Pappadoms are usually present too.
Virtually all Sri Lankan curries are based on coconut milk and a blend of spices: chilli,
turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom, coriander,rampe(pandanus leaves), curry leaves, mus-
tard and tamarind. Dried fish is also frequently used to season dishes.
As you're travelling around the country, you're likely to pull over at many a local res-
taurant for a rice and curry feed. Some of the best places are simple family-owned road-
side restaurants with a selection of around five to 10 individual dishes (mainly vegetarian
but there's usually a meat or fish option too).
Many restaurants only serve rice and curry at lunchtime. Guesthouses will often pre-
pare it for dinner but you'll need to order it early in the day and leave the cooks to work
their magic.
How to Eat
Where to Eat
Compared with most Asia countries, Sri Lanka is quite unusual in that most locals prefer
to eat at home. Things are different in beach resorts and the capital but in many towns
there are actually very few restaurants, or even street food stalls.
Accommodation
You'll usually eat breakfast in your hotel. Evening meals are often avail-
able too, though guesthouses will ask you to order ahead, so they can purchase ingredi-
ents. Larger hotels usually offer buffet lunches and dinners with Western and local food.
'Hotels'
When is a hotel not a hotel? When it's in Sri Lanka. Confusingly, restaurants here
are also called 'hotels'. Usually these places are in towns and cities, pretty scruffy, and will
consist of a store at the front selling snacks and drinks and tables at the rear for sit-down
meals. Rice and curry is the lunchtime staple, for dinner
kotthu
, rice and noodle dishes are
popular.
