5 Great Sri Lankan Recipes

The Sri Lankan food culture is vibrantly influenced by its ethnic diversity. Being a multiracial
country, Sri Lanka is indeed blessed with unlimited choices when it comes to tempting ones
taste buds. One will find a cultural gathering of Sri Lanka can be extremely colourful and tasteful
due to these unlimited choices. When talking about Great Sri Lankan Recipes, there are many.
However there are few all-time favourites by almost every Sri Lankan irrespective of their
culture, social background, religion or ethnicity.

Kottu Roti

One of the best loved Great Sri Lankan Recipe is Kottu or Kottu Roti. This aromatic and tasty
dish which is believed to be invented by tea estate workers in the central hills are now a nationwide delicacy. Making a Kottu is not much of a difficult task. If you possess the proper utensils
and cooking skill, a mouth-watering Kottu will be on your table in no time.
What you need to make a Kottu Rotti:

4 shredded Parathas or Godhamba Roti shredded (Can be purchased at street side cafes)

2 cups of curried meat (Beef/Chicken/Fish/Mutton)

2 eggs beaten

Large sliced Onion

Couple of Green Chillies

Couple of large Tomatoes cubed

Few Curry Leaves

4-5 tbs. Vegetable Oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

How to make a Kottu Rotti:

Heat the oil in a frying pan.

Add curry leaves, onion and fry until the onion is lightly brown.

Add green chilies & tomatoes and stir for few minutes.

Add egg and stir well to coat all the onion & tomatoes.

Add the curried meat. Stir well.

Cook for few minutes.

Add the stripes of Godhamba Roti, stir and allow to cook for few minutes longer on
reduced heat.

Adjust salt & pepper to taste.

Serve hot or cold with chili Sauce.

Jaffna Style Crab Curry

The next Great Sri Lankan Recipe we are going to talk about is the Jaffna Style Crab Curry.
Spicy yet capable of making food connoisseurs fell in love with it, the Jaffna Style Crab Curry is
simply a heavenly treat. Originated in the Northern parts of the island where theres an ample
supply of Fresh Sea Crab all year-round, this is one dish Sri Lankans consider to be ashamed of
for not trying at least once.
What you need to make Jaffna Crab Curry:

Few Large crabs

2 big onions

4 green chili

3 tbsp roasted curry powder

10 curry leaves

1 tsp Fennel seeds

3 cups of Coconut milk (can be substituted with milk)

2 tbsp Lemon juice

2.5cm Ginger

2 tbsp of Vegetable Oil

2 cups water

Salt to taste

How to make a Jaffna Crab Curry:

Dice onions, cut green chilies and ginger into small pieces.

Clean and cut the crabs into four. Keep the claws on.

In a large pan, dry roast the fennel seeds until golden.

Add oil and the diced onions and fry until onions turn golden.

Add the curry leaves and fry for a minute.

Add the crab, curry powder, salt and the water.

Cover and cook for five to eight minutes.

Stir, add the milk and simmer over low fire until the liquid is reduced to half.

Add lime juice and remove from fire. The gravy should have reduced to a thick
consistency.

Serve while hot.

Lamprais

The colonial era of Sri Lanka did left few wonders for coming generations to enjoy. The next
dish is one of them; the Lamprais. The original recipe of this Sri Lankan Dutch Burgher
delicacy has gone through many alterations in the hands of time but still the taste is one of a
kind. The authentic Lamprais consists of Lamprais Curry, Frikkadels, Brinjal Paella, Chili &
Onion Salad, Ash Plantain Fries, Deep fried boiled Egg and of course, the Rice all neatly
wrapped in a banana leaf. As you may have already thought, making a Lamparis is a bit of a
messy job, yet once the end result ends with success, one would sure to say its worth the effort.
To begin with the next great Sri Lankan recipe lets start with making the Lamprais Curry
What you need to make Lamprais Curry:

1 lb chicken/beef/mutton/pork

2 tbsp chilli powder

1 tbsp roasted curry powder

1/2 tsp turmeric

3 cardamoms

3 cloves

1/4 tsp of cinnamon

2 tbsp vinegar

3 cups thick coconut milk

1 red onion, chopped

1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds

A piece of rampe

1 stalk lemon grass

Sprig of curry leaves

5 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 inch piece of ginger, chopped

2 tbsp vegetable/coconut oil

1/4 cup of tamarind pulp

salt to taste

How to make a Lamprais Curry:

Cut the meat into small pieces. Add the next seven ingredients and mix thoroughly. Heat the oil
in a pan, and add the next seven ingredients. Fry till fragrant. Next add the meat mixture and
cook under low heat till the meat has cooked. Add tamarind and cook for a couple of minutes.
Add salt to taste. Now lets prepare the Frikkadels for our Lamprais.

What you need to make Frikkadels:

1 lb minced chicken (or a meat of your choice)

1 thick slice of bread (slightly roasted & grated)

1 tblp chopped red onion

1 tsp sweet cumin seeds (slightly roasted and ground)

A pinch of Saffron

1 tbsp Ginger (chopped)

1 tsp powdered Cinnamon

5 cloves

Pepper and salt

1 egg

1 tbsp Lime juice

Bread crumbs

Oil / Ghee for frying

How to make Frikkadels:

Season the meat with pepper, salt, cloves and cinnamon. Add the onions and grated bread to the
meat. Then add the lime juice. Mix everything and make small balls. Beat the egg and dip the
balls in the beaten egg. Fully cover in powdered bread crumbs and then deep fry until golden
brown. And now we go to make the Brinjal Paella.
What you need to make Brinjal Paella:

1 lb Egg Plant (Brinjal)

1/2 lb small red onions or pearl onions

1/4 small dried prawns (shrimp)

1/4 lb small green chillies cut in the middle

10 cloves of finely chopped (paste)garlic

2 table spoon of crushed dried red chillies

1/3 cup of coconut vinegar

3 tsp pf finely powdered black mustard seed

5 full tsp of sugar

1 piece of Pandan Leaf

2 Curry Leafs

2 cloves (chopped)

2 cardamoms(chopped)

Salt to taste

coconut or veg oil to deep fry

How to make Brinjal Paella:

Cut eggplant into thin slices. Deep fry the slices, drain and keep aside. Fry small onions for about
2 minutes and then fry green chillies for about 30 seconds. Drain and keep aside. Fry fried
shrimps for 45 seconds. Then saut crushed red chillies for 15 seconds and fry Pandan Leaf and
curry leafs for about 15 seconds. Mix garlic, mustard, cardamom, cloves and sugar together with
vinegar, boil for 1 1/2 minutes. Take out from fire and put all fried stuff. Add salt to taste. Mix
well. Keep till cool. Tastes better if consumed after one day. Chilli and Onion Salad is what is
next in line.
What you need to make Chilli and Onion Salad:

1/2 lb sliced Onions

1/4 lb sliced red Onions (Shallots)

3 chopped green Chillies

Juice from 1/2 Lime

Salt to taste

How to make Chilli and Onion Salad:

Mix the sliced onions with the Chilli. Add the Lime juice. Add salt to taste and mix well.
What you need to make Ash Plantain Fries:

4 medium sized ash platains

2 tspn saffron powder

Salt to taste

Oil for frying

How to make Ash Plantain Fries:

First peel the Ash plantains and cut into square shapes. Then mix with saffron and salt to taste.
Deep fry in oil.
What you need to make the rice:

500 grams (2 cups) Basmati or other long grain rice

2 tbsp ghee

1 medium onion, finely sliced

6 cardamoms

6 cloves

8 peppercorns

1 tsp turmeric

2 inch piece lemon grass

2 inch piece cinnamon

2 1/2 cups chicken stock

1 cup coconut milk

2 level tsp salt

How to make the rice:

Wash and drain the rice. Heat ghee in a large saucepan and add the onion then fry until becomes
tender. Add all the ingredients including the rice. Continue to fry while stirring constantly for 2-3
minutes. Put into a rice cooker or pot. Pour in chicken stock and coconut milk. Cook until the
moisture evaporates. Though kitchen will look like an utter disaster after all this drama, the
aromatic flavour of your freshly made Lamprais will make you forget the world around you.

Coconut Roti

The culinary culture of Sri Lanka is such a diverse topic due to many influences throughout the
history of the country. The next is one is an easy to make all-time snack loved by every Sri
Lankan. We call it Coconut Rotti with Lunu Miris. First we make the Roti.
What you need to make Coconut Roti:

2 cups of plain flour

I cup desiccated coconut

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp oil

Enough Luke warm water to make the dough

How to make the Coconut Roti:

Take a large cooking bowl and place all the dry ingredients together with the oil. Mix thoroughly.
Now slowly add enough warm water and make dough which will come together as a ball. Divide
the large ball of dough into small balls. Now press the dough flat with the tips of your fingers
until the roti is about 1/2 cm thick. Place a frying pan or crepe pan on the stove and turn the heat
to medium. Put a small amount of oil on to the pan. Place a roti on the pan. Keep turning them
until both sides become golden brown with few dark brown patches. Coconut Roti is never
completed with Lunu Miris. So lets just make some to complement the great taste of Coconut
Roti.
What you need to make Lunu Miris:

1/2 a small red onion chopped

3/4 tbsp chilli flakes

1/2 tsp Maldives fish flakes

1 small clove of garlic

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp lemon juice

How to make the Lunu Miris:

Take a food processor bowl and place your onion, chilli flakes, Maldives fish flakes, garlic and
pepper. Now whizz it up until the onion is finely chopped and all the ingredients are well mixed.
Place the contents in bowl and add the salt and lemon juice to taste. Mix and serve with your
warm roti. Alternatively you can fine chop the onions and mix everything in a bowl while
adding pressure with you r hand to the mixture.

Watalappan

Now its time for dessert and we are going to make Watalappan. Watalappan is a bit of a heavy
dessert which anyone with a sweet tooth will fell in love with. Popular among the Muslim
Community of Sri Lanka, Watalappan is a must for their religious festivals.
What you need to make Watalappan:

12 eggs

500 grams of Jaggery

2 cups of thick coconut milk

150 grams of brown sugar

2 tsp Ground Cardamom

2 tsp Vanilla

2 tbsp chopped cashew

2 tbsp raisins

Pinch of salt

How to make Watalappan:

Fine chop the Jaggery and put in to a pan with 2 fl oz of water. Bring to boil and simmer until the
jiggery is completely dissolved. Let it cool. Beat the eggs and mix the jiggery and coconut milk
with the beaten eggs. Now add the Cardamom, vanilla, brown sugar, salt and beat well. Strain the
mixture through a fine strainer a large bowl. Cover it with oil paper or a piece of clean cloth and
steam for 1 hours. To check the Watallapan is cooked, insert a toothpick in to it and if the
toothpick comes out clean, then you have a perfectly cooked Watalppan. Let it cool and chill it in
a refrigerator before serving. You can garnish your Watalappan by sprinkling chopped cashew
and raisins.
CHICKEN KABIRAJI - CALCUTTA CHICKEN CUTLET
Ingredients:
Minced chicken 250 grams
Onion cup (finely chopped)
Ginger garlic paste 1 and tablespoon
Green chilies 2 pieces (finely chopped)
Roasted cumin powder 1 tablespoon
Roasted red chili powder tablespoon
Garam masala powder tablespoon
Salt 1 tablespoon
Lemon juice lemon
Besan (Gramflour) 2 tablespoon
Bread crumbs cup
Eggs 2
Oil for frying.
Directions:
Take the minced chicken in a bowl. Add chopped onions, ginger garlic paste, cumin
powder, red chili powder, salt, lemon juice and 2 tablespoon of bread crumbs and
mix well. Leave it to marinate for 45 mintues.

After marinating put the besan and remaining bread crumbs and mix well. Cut equal
size balls from the marinated chicken dough and then by pressing with your palms,
give them a thick square chicken cutlet shape.
Beat the eggs in a bowl.
Heat oil for frying. Now dip each chicken cutlet into the beaten egg and fry till it
turns golden bown. Serve with Kasundi.
Footnotes:
You can make the same preparation with mutton, but it will require a little more
time to marinate.
CHICKEN KABIRAJI 2ND RECIPE
We share with you the recipe to make 'chicken kabiraji', a popular Bengali snack, at
home.

Ingredients:

Cumin Powder - 2 tsp

Chicken - 250gms
Garlic grated - tbsp
Ginger grated - 1 tbsp
Green chillies - 2
Onions - kg
Eggs - 5
Salt to taste
Red chilli powder - tsp
Lemon juice - 2 tsp
Oil - for frying
Breadcrumbs - 2 tbsp

Method:

- Grind onions ginger, garlic and green chillies

- Cut chicken pieces in a bowl; add the mixture (from step 1)
- Add cumin powder, red chilli powder, lemon juice
- Marinate chicken pieces and leave the mixture for about 45 minutes
- Whisk eggs in a bowl
- Dip cutlets in the whisked egg and roll on breadcrumbs
- Heat oil in a pan
- Add marinated chicken pieces
- Keep frying till they become golden brown in colour
- Serve hot with your choice of sauce/chutney