The tropical island of Sri Lanka lies off the southern tip of India, and was colonised by the Portuguese, the Dutch and the British before gaining independence in 1948. Sri Lankan cuisine blends a diverse array of fruits, vegetables, seafood, meats, spices, and coconuts into a unique culinary experience; based on the island’s proximity to the Indian Ocean, and influences from South India, Persia, Malaya and the European colonial settlers.

Food is an integral part of Sri Lankan culture and is the primary means by which Sri Lankans interact socially. Food in our own tradition is not about nutrients and calories – it’s about sharing, it’s about identity, it’s about hospitality. Food is our common ground and is a universal way of expressing ourselves.

The most conventional meal in Sri Lanka consists of rice and several curry dishes; generally involving one meat/seafood dish and additional vegetable dishes, accompanied by an assortment of sambols, chutneys, pickles, and salads. It is worth noting that Sri Lankan cuisine is a vegetarian’s heaven – there are tens of vegetable dishes, most using coconut milk as a base. There are many other Sri Lankan dishes which make the cuisine unique – kiri bath, hoppers, string-hoppers, pittu, pol roti, kottu roti, thosai, biriyani – to name a few.

Sri Lankan cuisine is simple and fun to cook, and the dishes you’ll learn at my cookery school are easy to replicate at home. (You’ll receive a printed recipe for each dish to take away with you.) To be a good Sri Lankan cook all you need is a love for food, and a willingness to experiment.