During your visit to Galle, you will have the opportunity to savour a number of delectable local dishes, including the staple rice and curry and tasty breakfast foods; you will also have the chance to feast on delectable seafood, street foods and festive dishes, as well as sweet desserts!
1. Breakfast dishes (various): There is an array of delicious Sri Lankan breakfast foods awaiting the enthusiastic foodie in Galle; however, keep in mind that many of these distinctive dishes are also consumed at other times of the day. Appa or hoppers, which may be described as bowl-like pancakes having crispy edges, are a local favourite. Another popular food is idiyappa or stringhoppers, which are mounds of delicate rice noodles. Meanwhile, milk rice or kiribath consists of rice cooked in coconut milk, and it is often prepared for special ceremonial occasions.
2. Rice and curry – Indubitably, rice and curry are a staple of Sri Lankan cuisine, being the favoured culinary choice of many locals for a hearty meal. In this kind of meal, steamed rice is eaten with a variety of tasty curries, aromatic pickles and zesty sambols. Some of the popular Sri Lankan curries are dhal curry, polos (young jackfruit) curry, chicken curry and ambul thiyal (a sour fish curry). An accommodation choice to consider where you can dine on rice and curry (and other local delights), as well as visit restaurants in Galle on foodie tours, is the appealingly located KK Beach.
3. Seafood specialities – Due to the fact that Galle is situated on the southern coast of Sri Lanka, it isn’t surprising that an array of delectable seafood dishes can be enjoyed here. A great culinary creation to try is the crab curry, which features sweet, succulent crab meat cooked in coconut milk. Alternatively, you may try Jaffna crab curry, which contains mud crabs and fragrant northern spices. Cuttlefish curry and prawn curry are also delicious seafood highlights.
4. Street foods – There is also a tantalising selection of mouth-watering street foods to be savoured in Galle. Undoubtedly, a favourite is kottu roti, which consists of chopped flatbread that is stir-fried along with vegetables, egg, spices, meat and other ingredients. You may also sample the popular fish buns that are stuffed with spiced fish and vegetables. Another much-loved item is prawn fritters or isso vadai, which are crispy fritters with prawns and spices.
5. Festive dishes and regional specialities – You may have the opportunity to try out the special hathmaluwa or mixed vegetable curry, which is typically prepared on the occasion of the traditional local New Year. Meanwhile, lamprais, which originated amongst the Dutch Burgher community, is a tasty dish featuring rice, meats and other ingredients baked in a banana leaf. On the other hand, odiyal kool happens to be a northern-style seafood and vegetable stew.
6. Desserts and sweet treats – As you might expect, Sri Lankan cuisine also features its share of desserts and sweets. Don’t miss trying some watalappan, a coconut custard pudding with kithul jaggery as well as cardamom. Of course, another perennial favourite is curd and treacle or kiri pani, which is basically buffalo curd drizzled with sweet palm treacle. You should also try out kavum or oil cake, which is typically made during special occasions like Sri Lanka’s traditional New Year celebration.
