​Sri Lankan Traditional Recipes

                                                     Kottu Roti Kottu roti is made from Gothamba roti and vegetables, eggs, or meat and various  Spices . It is a delicious meal generally eaten at dinner time. Apart from the commonest form of Kottu with meat, eggs or vegetables a newer variety with cheese has been introduced. The Gothamba roti is cut or chopped with the use of two metal blades on wooden handles held on both hands on this sheet or skillet.

        Egg and Plain Hoppers Made out of  fermented rice flour , the simple hopper or as locals call it “ Appa ” is a family favourite and enjoyed for dinner and breakfast in many homes. The hopper is also a restaurant front-runner while this bowl shaped pancake lookalike is ideally eaten served hot off the pan and enjoyed with a spicy curry, onion  Sambol  or one of its variations, such as the egg hopper, milk (kiri) hopper or honey (pani) hopper. All these additional ingredients are added into the centre of the pancake while its being cooked.  

  Pittu Enjoyed by the  Sinhalese  and Tamil communities alike “Pittu” is a traditional  Sri Lankan  dish that is quite frequented in many homes. Since most of our island’s food revolves around the staples  Rice  and  Coconut , this main meal is also considered a popular favourite while the accompaniments can be a variety of sweet and savoury dishes. Steamed in cylindrical shaped moulds, “Pittu” can be enjoyed with warm  Coconut Milk , sugar,  Lunumiris  (Onion and chillie sambal), spicy meat or fish curries etc.  

  Coconut Roti   Being an island nation,  Sri Lanka  is endowed with many  Coconut  palms and ideally, the coconut has been a staple in many homes. The coconut roti is also an easy to prepare meal that is the result of a mix of freshly grated coconut, wheat/  Rice /  Kurakkan  (a strong flavoured brown millet) and a little bit of oil. You can go the extra mile by adding chopped ingredients such as onions, green  Chillies ,  Curry Leaves  etc while a mouthwatering Maldive fish and onion sambal or even a spciy curry would be a great accompaniment. The aroma of the roti cooked on a hot griddle on both sides is always a welcome sign that you are in for a true Sri Lankan feast.

  Brinjal (Eggplant) Curry  Enjoyed island-wide at any special occasion and even during simple home cooked meals, the Brinjal Curry (Wambatu in Sinhalese) can be enjoyed as a pickle or relish as well. A flavour bomb that explodes in your mouth, you can taste a little bit of sweet, sour and  Spice  at the same time. In this particular recipe we make it a bit more thicker by using a little  Coconut Milk . You can also try it without. A vegetarian dish, the simplicity and balance of flavours makes it a winner at any occasion. There are various versions of this humble dish while the flavours and methods change according to the region and family secrets.

  Achcharu (අච්චාරු) Pickling  Food  has been a method of preserving vegetables, fruits and even various proteins for centuries. These delightful pickles add the perfect flavours of  Spices  and tang to our rice and curry dishes and is still relished all over the island by the old and young alike. While most  Fruits  and vegetables can be pickled accordingly, the pickling spice mix depends on each ones personal preference or on a traditional recipe which has been passed down through generations. The  Sinhala  Achcharu spice mix is usually a combination of mustard seeds, vinegar and garlic which is boiled well and added to the vegetables. This is not sweet at all but adds that much needed tanginess to your main meal.

String hoppers or  Idiyappam  replicate tiny noodle nests that are used in main meals ideally for breakfast and dinner. The string hopper press and mats are widely available in  Sri Lanka  and now even other countries too.  Roasted Rice Flour  (red or white) mixed with warm water and salt makes the ideal meal with finger licking sambals and curries. Variations of string hopper Pilaf are also available here while you can add a little food colouring to your white string hopper mix to make it a colourful affair. The process of making a string hopper is a bit arduous but the wait is always worth it.  

  Rice and Curry​ Rice is considered as the staple  Food  of  Sri Lanka  while there are over 10 varieties of this cereal grain which is widely consumed on a daily basis in many households. From tiny white “Samba” rice to the long grained “Basmathi” rice, and many  Red Raw Rice  specialities, Sri Lankans have been dependent on this staple since the golden era of mighty  kings  and warriors who managed to flourish the land with crops and various commodities. Rice and Curry which is also referred as the National Dish of the island, has a variety of mouthwatering accompaniments which will keep your taste-buds dancing to a rhythm of fiery desire. The curries usually consist of one meat or fish dish which is quite spicy, two or three different types of vegetable curries, a mallum (a mix of finely chopped green leaves mixed well with grated  Coconut , lime and salt) a spicy sambal or chutney and finally a papadam (a thin fried wafer). The curr...

  Milk Rice Milk Rice which is being called as Kiri Bath is an authentic Sri Lankan rice recipe. Mostly it is being cooked in special auspicious moments like Sinhala Tamil New Year, weddings and other traditional events. Milk Rice is considered as a symbol of prosperity in Sri Lanka. Milk Rice is being cooked with white Kekulu Rice adding salted Coconut milk to it.