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Learning To Cock Rice And Curry In Sri Lankan Way
Getting a taste of typical local food while seeing how it is prepared in a foreign country is definitely a nice experience. If you are the type of traveller who likes to learn the food culture on foreign soil and try the different gastronomies while you travel, Sri Lanka is definitely a place for you.
Traditionally made Sri Lankan rice and curry have their own taste and aroma. It differs in many ways from cuisines available in other parts of the world. In this article, we discuss rice and curry and about several places where you can have this unique experience of learning rice and curry while trying it in Sri Lankan way. It is absolutely interesting not only eating it but also taking part in the preparation of the meals.
In English, it is known as Rice and curry and it is the staple food of Sri Lankan people. Rice and curry are so much popular here, there cannot be any single Sri Lankan household without Rice and curry for lunch. Where ever you travel in the country from the southern tip of Sri Lanka to the northernmost city of Jaffna, Rice and curry are served in every inch of the country.
Sri Lanka food tour
It is believed that Stone Age man (Homo sapiens Balangodensis) of Sri Lanka had cultivated different seeds, so it is not difficult to imagine how rice became the staple diet of Sri Lanka. On the other hand, curry is the main accompaniment to rice which is very rich in spices.
Sri Lanka is also very rich in spices such as cardamom, nutmeg; cinnamon… the list goes on. Arabian, Chinese, and European merchant call on Sri Lanka’s harbours way back in the 8th century AD in search of spices. Still, Sri Lanka’s export spices and Sri Lankan cinnamon are ranked among the best cinnamon in the world with a unique strong aroma and taste. Spices are the foundation of any variety of curry.
Traditionally, the Sri Lankan people use clay pots when they prepare rice and curry. It is very rich in taste when it is cooked in a clay pot, especially the curry varieties. Firewood stove is the best method to apply the heat to the pot, cooking in a firewood stove take longer than cooking on a gas or electric stove but it enhances the rich taste and aroma.
There are several places on the island, where you can actively engage in the cooking process and taste what you prepare later on. Most Sri Lanka trips with plenty of leisure time such as14 days in Sri Lanka allows you to engage in extra activities such as a cooking class.
Habarana: Habarana in the central province is a place that most travellers are based in while exploring the cultural triangle of Sri Lanka. There are several places in Habarana, where you can take part in a cooking class while exploring a remote village.
The cooking class of Habarana is offered with some other interesting activities such as a village walk, a visit to the village school and temple, visiting village family and farmland. The duration of the village tour and cooking class is about 3 hours.
Matale: Spice garden in the region of Matale is visited by a large number of foreign visitors. There is a large number of spice gardens in Matale and these spice gardens are included in most Sri Lanka trips such as 4 days Sri Lanka trip package. The spice gardens showcase the different varieties of spices and usage of them. Here you can see how spices are used in the process of preparation of curry. The duration of the cooking class for about 1 hour.
Galle: If you happen to travel to Galle during your Sri Lanka tour and beach holiday, you can easily find a half-day Sri Lanka food tour to learn about traditional Sri Lankan rice and curry. Many travellers combine their tours such as 5 days Sri Lanka trip and 7 days Sri Lanka tour with a cooking class to learn typical cuisine. Sri Lanka Duration of the cooking class is about 2 hours.
It definitely would be interesting to sit in a beach restaurant and sip a glass of Arrack (local alcohol) while eating rice with fresh seafood. Perhaps you can choose the crab or prawns from the tank and watch how they prepare it. Tasting the warm rice and curry with a glass of arrack or beer while enjoying the gentle sea breeze, that’s how to do it u style. I have written many articles on Sri Lankan traditional cuisines and dishes, and rice and curry is a central ingredient of most meals.