Rice and Curry

Rice and Curry is the main staple in Sri Lankan cuisine. It is eaten either boiled or steamed. Rice is typically eaten with vegetables, meat, or fish curries. Sri Lankan curries are spicy and infused with the characteristic flavors of turmeric and coconut milk.

Kiribath

Kiribath is rice cooked in salted coconut milk until the grains turn soft and porridge-like and served with “lunu miris” (prepared by making a paste out of red dried chili mixed with salt and lime juice). Generally eaten for breakfast and included in special occasions.

Kottu

Kottu is a spicy stir-fry of shredded roti bread with vegetables. Optional ingredients include eggs, meat, or cheese.

Hoppers

Usually made out of rice flour, coconut milk and a little palm toddy or yeast. The batter is normally prepared the previous night and left to rise overnight and then thinned by adding coconut milk. Hoppers are baked in a round cast-iron pan, to get the soft well risen center part and the golden brown crisp border.

To make egg hoppers an egg is added into the center of the hopper and then bake . Hoppers should be consumed while hot and often accompanied by lunu miris and fish or meat curry.

String hoppers

RotiString hoppers (indiappa)in Sinhala are made out of rice flour. You mix rice flour and hot water to form a dough and press it out in circles from a string mold onto wicker mats and then steamed. String hoppers are also consumed with curry and coconut sambol (a paste of ground coconut mixed with chilies and lime juice ). And a popular choice for breakfast and dinner.

In Sri Lanka the most common type of roti is coconut roti (pol roti in Sinhala) and it is a flat - bread usually made from dough of wheat flour mixed with shredded coconut. Roti is consumed with lunu miris and fish or meat curry.

Dosai

Dosai is an ethnic breakfast food of the Tamil community and also favorite among many Sri Lankans. A mixture of rice and ulundu soaked in water and ground finale to form a dough and the batter is allowed to ferment overnight. Then add water to get the desired thickness and cook on a greased griddle.

Dosai is served hot either folded in half or rolled like a wrap. It is usually served with sambar ( a thick vegetable broth ). Dosai is nutritionally rich and delicious.

Pittu

Pittu is a cylinder of steamed rice mixed with grated coconut.

Kawum

Kavum is a deep-fried Sri Lankan sweet made from rice flour and kithul (sugar-palm) treacle, with a number of variants adding additional ingredients. It is also known as oil cake. Kawum is traditionally given and consumed during celebrations of Sinhala New Year.

Pani walalu (undu wel)

This is another sweet fiesta made by deep frying a batter made from white lentils, rice flour, and coconut milk, and soaking it in a sweet syrup generally made from treacle and some spices.

Aasmi

Aasmi is a traditional Sri Lankan deep-fried sweet snack, which is served on the Sinhalese New Year. It is made with a combination of rice flour and coconut milk, which is mixed with juice extracted from dawul kurundu leaves (cinnamon leaves) and then deep fried in coconut oil.

Mung kavum

Mung kavum got its name from the main ingredient – mung bean which is also known as green gram. This treat is deep fried too but what makes it stand out is the tangy grainy paste inside. This paste is a mixture of mung bean flour, rice flour and kithul treacle. The greenish-yellow color comes from adding turmeric to batter. Mung kavum is less sweet and less oily than the other treats

Kokis

Kokis is a deep-fried, crispy Sri Lankan food made from rice flour and coconut milk. Although considered as a traditional Sri Lankan dish, it is believed to have come from the Dutch. This is an important dish when celebrating Sinhala and Tamil New Year and plays a major role in the festivities. Although considered a traditional Sri Lankan treat, Kokis is believed to be of Dutch origin.

The New-year Festival

Sinhalese Buddhists and Tamil Hindus in harmony with the end of the harvest. The new-year dance with the transitions of the sun from the house of Pisces to the Aries. According to the solar calendar the new-year begins usually 13th and 14th April exact time determined gathering of the planet. The household rituals are determined by the Astrological dictates such as lighting a fire and making Kiribath [milk rice],celebration then begin with families mingling in the street and kavum,kokis [small oil cakes, crispy sweet] freely distributed among the neighbors.

The Vesak festival

The Buddhist celebrates the triple anniversary of the important events in the life of Buddha. His birth, his Attaining of Enlightenment, his passing away into Nirvana. During this festival time streets are full of bright lights, stalls around the road distribute free food throughout the day.

The Poson festival

Festival. Poson is celebrated to commemorate the introduction of Buddhism to Sri Lanka by Arahath Mahinda Thero in 236 BC. The focal point of the religious festival is the Buddhist monastic complex on the mountain of Mihintale, where Arahath Mahinda Thero preached Buddhism to one of the kings, king Devanampiyatissa, of Sri Lanka.

Esala festival - Kandy Esala Pageant

The Esala Perahera in Kandy is one of Sri Lanka's oldest and most magnificent Buddhist celebrations, featuring dancers, jugglers, musicians, fire-breathers, and ornately decorated elephants. This event takes place in the month of Esala (July or August) every year.

The Esala and Dalada Perahera are thought to have merged to form the Kandy Esala Perahera. The Esala Perahera, which is estimated to have been performed in the 3rd century BC, was a ceremony performed to ask the gods for rain. The Dalada Perahera is thought to have started when the Buddha's Sacred Tooth Relic was transferred to Sri Lanka from India in the 4th century AD. It is the pinnacle of the country's Buddhist celebrations and is endowed with divinity.

This glorious pageant is probably the most spectacular torch lit parade in all of Asia.

Deepavali the fascinating festival of light in Sri Lanka

Deepavali spreads throughout the island’s various regions, but most observable in the North, East and hill country. However, the annual celebration of Deepavali I is the most significant and the grandest Hindu festival of Sri Lanka. Deepavali is considered as the “Festival of lights” which signifies that darkness is warded off and light is welcomed into one’s life and home. Moreover, it implies goodness over evil, the triumph of light over darkness, wisdom over ignorance, and hope over despair.

Ramadan Festival

The period of Ramadan, lasting one month, is a time when Muslims maintain a dawn-to-dusk fast daily in order to increase their spiritual devotions, and as a mark of obedience and servitude to Allah. It is a time to show gratitude to Him for material and spiritual favors granted and asking for forgiveness of past sins. Furthermore, the fasting period also enables Muslims to focus on the spiritual aspects of their lives rather than the physical, creating a much stronger bond between the individual and his Lord. On a communal level, the Ramadan month promotes the basic values of Muslim society, some of which are charity and empathy for the poor, reverence, patience and steadfastness.

The St. Anne’s festival

The Roman Catholic Church located on a quiet stretch of beach in Kalpitiya peninsula has held the annual feast for more than three centuries in August. Roman Catholics observe the annual Feast of St. Anne, dedicated to the mother of the Virgin Mary. It is reputed as a place of miraculous healing by the faithful. Pilgrims flock to the annual festival from all over the island.It really does not matter when you decide to holiday in Sri Lanka. You are bound to see some festivals while on your Sri Lanka tour.