The cultural similarities with India make for some common elements in Sri Lankan cuisine. Rice, curry and sea food and yes, the inevitable coconut, constitute the basic ingredients of Sri Lankan dishes, not forgetting the Sri Lankans’ fondness for chilli and spice. The flavour of sweet caramelized onion relishes (Seeni Sambal) is hard to forget. Pork and beef are commonly eaten beside shrimps (sometimes shaped into batter coated and deep fried fritters), lobsters, fish, crabs, squid, and octopus. Scores of restaurants
The cultural similarities with India make for some common elements in Sri Lankan cuisine. Rice, curry and sea food and yes, the inevitable coconut, constitute the basic ingredients of Sri Lankan dishes, not forgetting the Sri Lankans’ fondness for chilli and spice. The flavour of sweet caramelized onion relishes (Seeni Sambal) is hard to forget. Pork and beef are commonly eaten beside shrimps (sometimes shaped into batter coated and deep fried fritters), lobsters, fish, crabs, squid, and octopus. Scores of restaurants and resorts offer a fine dining experience whereas the spicy street food is undoubtedly as popular with the common Sinhalese folk. There is a generous use of spices like black pepper, cardamom and red chillies, turmeric and fennel. There are definite influences from the Western world in the baked desserts, pastries and pates, harking back to its colonial past.
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