Janet's Journal

With over 3,000 different types of rice grown on the island it’s not surprising that rice is the staple of the Sri Lankan diet.  Add to this coconut, a wealth of spices, many different fruits and vegetables and you have Sri Lanka’s national dish, rice & curry.

It is sometimes eaten for breakfast or dinner but is mainly enjoyed at lunchtime. Cooked daily in homes, tiny street-side kitchens, cafes and the big tourist hotels and restaurants the basic formula is the same just the number of dishes to choose from increases. 

Generally eaten with the right hand, balls of rice are massaged between the fingers with the accompaniments to blend the flavours. 

Samba, nadu, basmati and red kakuluhaal are the most common varieties of rice used daily forming the basis of the meal.  I personally prefer traditional rice such as kaluheenati or kuruluthuda, being ‘red rice’, they are higher in bran and nutrients and have a much lower GI, they are unfortunately more expensive but smaller quantities are needed.

Then add a selection of contrasting textured & flavoured vegetable curries, and dhal. A choice of chicken, pork or a fish curry, sometimes hard boiled egg or a beef curry is next. Topped with some crispy little poppadoms or tiny crisp fried fish, and one or two sambals on the side and your culinary delight is ready to be consumed. 

Curry leaves and rampa are used extensively imparting a unique taste hinting of citrus.  Turmeric, chilli powder, cinnamon sticks, coriander seeds and Sri Lankan curry powder, are the most common spices used, skilfully added, quantities of each judged by colour, smell & taste in age old recipes

Coconut milk is added to many of the fiery dishes or sometimes just made into a gravy (kiri hodi).

Whilst pumpkin, potato, green beans, aubergine, are maybe the most commonly found there are a seemingly endless variety of vegetables that can be used from the everyday to the exotic.  Snake gourd, drumsticks (murunga), okra, beetroot, plantain flower (kesel muwa), winged beans (damballa) kohl rabi (raabu) ambarella, pineapple to name but a few.

Sambals are tasty, very often searingly hot, side dishes.  Sometimes like relishes, often made with grated coconut and finely chopped green chillis, some with pieces of tiny dried maldive fish. Luna miris, pol sambol, seeni sambol being the most popular.

When cooking for myself at home I don’t attempt these huge feasts but keep it simple.  These are the recipes I will share with you, the amount of spice, like chilli powder, is really personal taste.  Remember you can always add more but can’t take it away from a dish.  The addition of coconut milk will ‘cool’ a dish down a little.

Enjoy trying as many different curries as you can and if something is too fiery remember, a few sips of hot water will be more soothing than cold water.