sri lankan

oxtail stew

I grew up eating oxtail, a fatty, silky meat cooked on the bone, that produces an incomparably luscious, slightly gelatinous sauce or broth.

arrack sour

Arrack is one of those drinks I was warned about while growing up, the way you're warned about a river with a strong undercurrent...

pappadums

A little snack that goes nicely with a cold drink, or a crunchy accompaniment to a plate of rice and curries.
coconut rocks LS

coconut rocks

For those with a sweet tooth, those who do not...even those who profess not to love coconut!
aluwa LS

aluwa

There are many Sri Lankan “sweets” that really should be called Sri Lankan savouries. I can think of many that are sweet and spicy with a heavy emphasis on the spice. Cookies, sweet, fried batters and cakes are all balanced...

mallum

Why you need mallum, a big, fresh, slightly crunchy flurry of greens, over a bowl of rice and dark curry.
mom's rice sticks

mom’s rice sticks

This is possibly maybe a style of Singapore dish that Sri Lankans eat (and maybe sometimes make) by way of Chinese restaurants and cooks in the south of Sri Lanka.
sunny arrack

a tale of two arrack cocktails

Made from unopened coconut tree flowers, arrack is compared to whiskey or rum or something in between. I've used it in place of both to try it out and you should too.

dhal

Asian households almost always have cooked rice on hand. Sri Lankan households almost always have rice and dhal.
tea at galle fort hotel

galle and thalpe

The beach! Once you’ve had your fill of the big cities and the ancient cities, head to Thalpe for a still-semi-secluded stretch of beaches. Start around Wijaya Beach where the reef keeps the water calm–more so in the morning than...