Culture · Sri Lanka
Rice and Curry: Sri Lanka on a Plate
By Days of Iru and Opa
Rice and curry is the heart of Sri Lankan cooking: a plate of rice surrounded by a spread of small dishes, from dhal and jackfruit to fish, chicken or vegetable curries, brightened with coconut sambol and pickles.
What to expect
A good rice and curry is not one dish but many, balancing spicy, sour, sweet and fresh. Coconut milk, curry leaves, pandan and roasted spices give it its distinctive flavour.
Where to eat it
Home-cooked meals at guesthouses are often the best, followed by local "hotels" (small eateries) at lunchtime when the spread is freshest.
Beyond the plate
Don’t miss hoppers, string hoppers, kottu and short eats, the wider world of Sri Lankan food around the rice-and-curry staple.
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