Top 10 fruits to try in Sri Lanka

Yes, it’s just as you suspected… Here’s yet another blog post about food! Perhaps I should call myself a food blogger instead of a travel blogger?! I am after all, a big time foodie… and food is what I think about most of the time! But that’s a thought for another time. This time’s blog, though very similar to my post in July about the top ten foods to try, specializes in fruits. This is mostly because I couldn't fit everything I loved eating into one general food post! Sure enough, there will be more to follow!

As usual, the following is in no particular order. So here goes:

1) Banana

 I know what you’re thinking, you've had bananas… you get them in your country… it’s no big deal. But it is in fact a HUGE deal for us Sri Lankans! They are so much tastier here. If you don’t take my word for it, here’s a quote from a fellow blogger from England, Emily Jenkinson:

“I’ve just got back from a two week holiday in Sri Lanka and am already missing its bananas, which are out-and-out, no contest, the best goddamn bananas I have ever eaten, anywhere, ever. Full stop. Amen. In fact, before visiting Sri Lanka, I don’t think I’d ever really eaten a proper banana, just mere imitations of them: under-ripe, over-refrigerated, no-life-left-in-them apologies for bananas which (I realise now) must have little nutritional value and certainly no taste to speak of”.

http://theladybites.co.uk/2012/12/sri-lankan-bananas-im-bananas-for-them/

You can find over 20 different types of bananas in Sri Lanka and they all have different colours, sizes and tastes. My personal favourites [and the most popular and widely available] varieties are the Ambul and the Kolikuttu.

 Bananas for bananas!

2) Mango

Like bananas, there are many different types of Mangoes in Sri Lanka. Some smaller than the palm of your hand and some as big as papaya! The star mango that is everyone’s favourite [including mine] is the sweet and juicy Karthakolamban Mango that is endemic to Jaffna, a city in the North of Sri Lanka. You should also definitely try raw mango seasoned with salt and chilli powder. It is a popular street food in Sri Lanka.

Each pile is a different variety of Mango

                                                                                            

3) Rambutan

Some of my earliest childhood memories include the Rambutan tree that we have in our garden. I can still remember very clearly how my grandmother used to sit out in the balcony holding on to a string that was attached to a noise maker on the tree that was rung to scare away the squirrels who came to eat the not-yet-ripened fruits. I also remember my father plucking the ripe Rambutan from the balcony and from our neighbour’s roof! After we plucked all of them, we used to sit out on the grass in the garden eating Rambutan’s.

It’s a small red hairy fruit that tastes similar to lychees, but better! They are found in abundance during the months of June, July and August.

Freshly picked Rambutans

4) Mangosteen

I know I’m probably losing my credibility by saying that everything is my favourite, but they really are! Mangosteens are a wonderful fruit that are in season the same time as Rambutans.

Tip: don't get any on you clothes...! It stains!

5) Papaya

Papaya or Papaw is another ‘everyday’ type of fruit for Sri Lankans that is in season all year round. This juicy and nutritious fruit was even dubbed ‘the fruit of the angels’ by Christopher Columbus.

6) Pineapple

Here’s another one that’s delicious. Like raw mangos, it goes well with salt and chilli… a mixture which only the street vendors can perfect!

Stacked up and waiting to be eaten!

7) Jambu

Also known as Roseapple, Jambu is also another home garden type fruit that you don’t find the market very often. It goes well with salt and chilli too! If you haven’t already noticed, we Sri Lankans love to put chilli on everything!!

A friend of mine with a bowl of
freshly picked jambu mixed with salt and chilli!

8) Woodapple

This hard on the outside, mushy on the inside fruit is a rare find. People often blend it and make it into a runny pudding and have it with vanilla ice cream… yum! It’s also something that’s loved by elephants!

9) Duriyan

Duriyan is one of my least favourite fruits. It’s like Marmite… either you love it, or you hate it! The skin of the fruit has a very strong stink that can be smelled from a distance! But the creamy centre is what is relished by Duriyan lovers like my dad [and my dogs!]. This has around the same seasonality as Rambutan and Mangosteen. I’m not going to guarantee that you’ll like it, but it’s something that you should definitely try.

10) Soursop and Custard Apple

Although the two above are different fruits, they come from the same Graviola [atha] family, so I have grouped them together to ensure that my list doesn’t go beyond ten like it did the last time! Famed for its cancer prevention properties, Graviolas have a soft but seedy centre. Soursop and Custard Apple taste different to each other though, so make sure you try them both!

  

Soursup Fruit

Custard Apple

That concludes my top ten. A few fruits that were close to being a part of this list were avocado, pomegranate, jack fruit, amberella, passion fruit and Sri Lankan pear.  As always, you shouldn’t limit yourself to this list… venture out and try as many different things as you possibly can!

Top ten foods to try in Sri Lanka

Being a big time foodie, I thought it was about time for this post! I have a confession though, although the title says 10 foods to try, I’ve got 12! In my defense, there are so many super tasty things to eat here, it was difficult to shorten the list any more. 

Before we begin, you should know that there are loads of amazing things to try when you visit Sri Lanka. This list of Sri Lankan [ish] foods consists of my personal favourites and they are in no particular order.

1) The obvious – Rice and Curry

There is no way that you would miss out on this staple meal while in Sri Lanka. Rice is a huge part of our history and culture. ‘Rice and Curry’ is a very broad title as there are so many different varieties and variations of dishes, whether they be rice, vegetables, sea food or meat. ‘Parrippu’ which you might know as dhal or lentils, chicken curry and fish ‘ambul thiyal’ are a few of my long list of favourites…

Rice and Curry

2) Hoppers

Hoppers could be either egg or plain, and for me, the crispier the better! It’s most often eaten with curries and ‘seeni sambol’ or ‘katta sambol’ or if you’re someone like my mom, you’d probably have hoppers with butter and treacle or juggery as well!

Egg and plain hoppers

3) String Hoppers

Aside from its name and the fact that you eat it with curries, string hoppers have nothing in common with hoppers! It’s another one of my dinner time favourites.

A plate of string hoppers, parippu and pol sambol

4) Koththu Roti

Koththu is a Sri Lankan modification of ‘Godamba’ Roti, where it’s sliced and diced [to a catchy beat] and mixed with veggies and meat. Tasty, a café-restaurant has some really good [and not too spicy] koththu… or you could try the cheese koththu at Pilawoos. It’s the best after a big boozing night. The best part is that it’s open all night! Approach it with caution though; it’s only for those whose stomachs can handle it!

Chicken Koththu

5) Sri Lankan Chinese food

Yes, there is something like that! It doesn’t taste a thing like the food you will eat in China… But, that doesn’t mean that it’s any less of a mouth-watering culinary experience. Try the Hot Butter Cuttlefish… it’s crispy and delicious and ideal for a drink time snack as well!

Hot Butter Cuttlefish at the Chinese Dragon Cafe

6) Pani Pol Pancakes

Another brilliant modification of food from another culture! Pani pol translates to treacle-coconut. These are delicious thin pancake rolls stuffed with a fried mixture of treacle and grated coconut. It tastes as good as it sounds!

A fresh batch of PPP's!

7) Sea Food

Being an island, Sri Lanka is famous for its seafood, which is not as expensive as it is in other countries. Whether it’s curried, grilled, baked or fried; crab, prawn, cuttlefish or fish; it’s bound to be the meal you will spend the longest time eating! Try The Manhattan Fish Market or The Lagoon for some really good seafood. Or, if you want a place that’s slightly cheaper and not as fancy, Beach Wadiya is a popular amongst travellers. If you’ve got your eye on crab and crab alone, I’d recommend The Ministry of Crab or the The Fat Crab which is slightly cheaper.

My mom's homemade crab curry!

8) Festival Food

These goodies come out during festivals and other important functions and occasions and are usually set on a decorated table alongside other traditional foods such as milk rice. The most common ones are kavum, mung kavum and kokis.

Kokis

9) Chips or ‘crisps’ if you’re British!

And no, not the potato kind… these are far better. You should definitely try Manyokka Chips while in Sri Lanka. It’s made out of Cassava or Maniyok. You could find packs in supermarkets, or buy some from a street vendor; the chances are that it will be tastier if you do so! Another type of chip that is a ‘must try’ are Del Chips which are made from breadfruit. It’s not available all year round… and I don’t actually know where you can buy them [someone should really get on that!]. It’s usually homemade, but if they are in season, I could fry some for you!

Fried and spiced to perfection!

10) Short eats

I actually had to google and check if ‘short eats’ was the word that was used globally to describe this type of food… and it wasn’t! Shorts eats are a variety of tea time like snacks which are usually pastries and rolls etc. Check out Jehanr’s harlem shake video with Sri Lankan short eats!

11) Devilled Chicken… or fish… or anything, really!

It’s a popular and kind of spicy bite that’s often had during ‘drinking sessions’.

Devilled Pork

12) Lamprais or lumprice!

This is something amaziag that was left behind by the Dutch from when they had Sri Lanka as a colony. It’s a wonderful meal, wrapped in a banana leaf. In my opinion, you can find the best Lamprais at The Dutch Burgher Union, The Dutch Grocer, Fab and Green Cabin.

A Lumprais pack

The inside of a Lumprais pack

Don’t limit yourself to just this list though, because I had to cut it down. Try everything that comes your way!

“If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay at home” – James Michener

Top 10 reasons why you should visit Sri Lanka

There are hundreds of reasons for you to visit Sri Lanka… But here’s my list of the top 10 reasons that would make you want to book your flight right now!

1) Heritage

 

The Vatadage in Polonnaruwa

Did you know that Sri Lanka has more UNESCO World Heritage sites than Egypt? That’s pretty impressive for such a tiny Island… Our rich history left us with an incredible collection of ancient ruins that date back to the 1800s. Most of which are adorned with some of the most intricate stone carvings you will ever see. Just that is enough reason for anyone to book a holiday to Sri Lanka.

2) Wildlife

Sri Lanka boasts of its ‘Big Five’ which include the Blue Whale, the Sperm Whale, the Asian Elephant, the Leopard and the Sloth bear. But it’s not just that, we’ve got a lot more to see here. Our jungles and forests are home to a varied collection of animals and bird life as well as insects and reptiles. You don’t have to be a wildlife enthusiast or a naturalist to be awed by what you see on a game drive at one of our many national parks and forests.

The Wildlife at Yala National Park

  

3) Beaches

Wadduwa Beach

Now this I’m sure you already know about. When someone mentions Sri Lanka, most people would immediately think of its beaches. Why wouldn’t they? We are an island after all and our beautiful country is surrounded by miles and miles of unspoiled beaches. And it’s not just that, you won’t be disappointed when snorkelling and diving off our coastlines because we are home to many beautiful coral reefs and some interesting ship wrecks.

4) Religions

The four main religions in Sri Lanka are Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism and Islam. Each of them hold a big place in Sri Lanka’s history and there are many beautiful establishments that you will love to see no matter which religion you follow. Kataragama, a religious town in the Southern part of the country has a few Hindu Kovils, a Buddhist Temple, a Mosque and a Church all of which are a short distance from each other. The Sita Amman Kovil in Nuwara Eliya is a place that plays a huge role in the famous story of Rama and Sita.

The art on the pillars of the Temple of the Tooth Relic in Kandy

   

5) Tropical Climate

One of the things I personally love about Sri Lanka is its climate. Being a tropical country, most of our days are sunny and bright. Most travellers love to show off their holiday tan once they go back home. Sri Lanka is the best place for that. If it’s rainy while you’re here…  that’s still pretty great because if you’re anything like me, I love a nice walk in the rain! It isn’t cold like the winter rainfall that I had to deal with when I was in England!

6) Arts and Crafts

Sri Lanka’s got a lot of art and handicrafts that been around for generations. Whether it is colourful mask [ves-muhuna] that is used to ward off the evil eye or a shopping bag woven out of straw… We’ve got some useful and decorative souvenirs for you to take back to decorate your home with. You’re definitely going to want something to remember the amazing time you had in Sri Lanka!

A Ves-Muhuna

A local form of crochet called Biralu

Purses made out of coloured straw woven together

 

7) Food

I’m a big time ‘foodie’… So you can trust me when I say, Sri Lanka has so many different and delicious dishes that everyone must try at least once in their lives. There are so many amazing curries, vegetables, fruits and ‘short eats’ that you could spend your entire holiday eating, but you still would not be able to taste all of it! It’s not just Sri Lankan food that you should try either. We’ve put our own spin on food from other countries as well. The Chinese food here might not taste anything like it does in China, but it is so good that you tend to over eat and open the top button of your trousers to give your tummy more space!

My Mom's delicious crab curry

 

8) People

I know that I’m biased when I say this, but Sri Lankans are very friendly and they most often go out of their way to be hospitable. They would always greet you with a warm Sri Lankan smile. If you’re planning on meeting some friendly people and making friends while on holiday, head down to Sri Lanka and you won’t be disappointed!

The warm Sri Lankan smile!

9) Cheap

One of Sri Lanka’s lesser advertised selling points is how cheap it is to travel here. The food, transport and shopping are far cheaper than most other countries and it is absolutely worth it. It’s only your flight expense that will weigh down your budget. Once you get here though, you’d be pleasantly surprised by how affordable things are.

10) Compact

Reading about all of these reasons to make Sri Lanka your next holiday destination, you might be thinking that it can’t all be done in one holiday. If that is the case, you’re wrong! Unlike India, where everything is so spread out, Sri Lanka is a tiny island. This allows you to see and experience almost all of the things I mentioned. You could be relaxing on a beach and in a few short hours be in the middle of a thick jungle or in the chilly hill country…

Sri Lanka is an amazing country with so much to offer. Come and experience it!