How to dig into Sri Lankan Street Food Items That Are Pure Delight!

Food culture is an inspiring way to delve into the culture of any country. This is understood by most visitors who travel often and don’t fail to taste traditional local food. The authentic cuisine of a country can be served anywhere from a fine dining restaurant or the busy vendor on the street. Discover how best to enjoy Sri Lankan Street food and appreciate the rich culture of this island nation.

Crispy and light Hoppers/Egg Hoppers

Hoppers are a popular and fast-moving street food like an upturned pancake with the outer edge being crisp with a soft centre. Hoppers are relished at breakfast or dinner; it is made with rice four and coconut milk making it a healthy food. Hoppers are eaten with seafood or chicken curry and lunu miris (a concoction of ground or pounded (with pestle and mortar) shallots and chilli flakes flavoured with salt and lime).

A variation to this is more popular called the egg hopper with an egg cracked into the soft centre when the hopper is halfway done. Egg hoppers are also served with the same side dishes and enjoyed by most visitors dining in Sri Lanka at street food stalls.

Kottu Roti

This filling dish is made with godamba roti (a flatbread similar to parathas in India) which is cut into small strips and tossed on a hot griddle with onions, tomatoes, vegetables and meat or seafood (egg and vegetarian options are available too) and traditional spices and mixed with two metal chopping cutters producing a symphony of noise synonymous with Kottu. The straight-from-the-griddle mouthwatering Kottu is a great favourite of visitors who savour it at the Galle Face Green in Colombo at the end of their day tour when using rent-a-car services such as Malkey-rent-a-car.

Parippu Vada/Ulundu Vada

These snacks are healthy and can be consumed on the go. Parippu Vada is made with red split lentil dhal and toor dhal by soaking them well and mixing the soft dhal mix with finely chopped shallots, green chillis, curry leaves and ginger. Thereafter they are made into small balls, then flattened and deep fried in hot oil in a wok.

Ulundu vada is an endowment to Sri Lanka from South India. They are made with urad dhal batter mixed with finely chopped shallots, green chilis and curry leaves and deep fried in hot oil, ulundu vadas have a hole in the centre.

Both kinds of vadas a eaten with a chutney made out of grated coconut, green chilis and shallots ground well and flavoured with lime and salt and accompanied by a hot tea or coffee.

Malu Paan (Fish Buns)

This is a fluffy triangular-shaped bun (variations in shape are possible) stuffed with a filling made of boiled fish and potato, flavoured with Sri Lankan spices, and baked to a golden perfection.

Malu paan is enjoyed for breakfast and at other times as a snack and is usually accompanied by a hot cup of tea or coffee.

String Hoppers (Indi appa)

This stringy wonder is light and healthy. Just like its name, this hopper resembles a mass of strings at first glance. It is usually made with the traditional local red or white rice well pounded to a powder mixed with warm water and seasoned with salt. The mix is pressed through a special device making strings of the mix come out. This is evenly dropped on small, rounded bases and steamed for a few minutes.

The well-steamed string hoppers are relished with a seafood or meat curry, pol sambal (a flavourful mix of grated coconut, shallots, and chilli flakes well pounded and flavoured with lime, salt and pepper) and a white potato curry or lentil curry. A filling meal for breakfast or dinner.