TABLE OF CONTENTS
Best Sri Lankan Grains Types
Samba is a traditional rice variety. The grain is short and ovular, hard, and less fluffy than other varieties when cooked. The flavor is slightly sweet and reminiscent of corn. The rice is available in two varieties, white and red. Samba has a higher content of sucrose than Nadu rice, but it's more appreciated for its flavor.
Although it's produced throughout the country, the red samba variety is more common in the south. In general, samba is used for special occasions, family celebrations, and it's also offered at the harvest festival marking the end of Maha season.
Suwandel is a traditional rice variety of Oryza sativa. This white rice has a unique aroma and a milky flavor. It also has more vitamins than other rice varieties, along with high amounts of fat, carbohydrates, and micronutrients.
The name is derived from the word suwandha, meaning fragrance, referring to the fragrant aroma after the rice has been cooked. The cultivation of suwandel takes longer than with other types of rice, and 5 to 6 months typically need to pass until the rice is ready for harvesting.
Kuruluthuda is a unique type of rice originating from Sri Lanka. This red rice variety is cultivated for up to five or six months before harvest time and it's rich in fiber and proteins. Five to six tons of Kuruluthuda rice are produced monthly, but the yield depends on seasonality and harvesting cycles.
It's recommended to soak the rice in water for about half an hour before cooking. The rice is usually boiled with pandan leaves and salt before consumption. It's a staple in many Sri Lankan recipes such as steamed Kuruluthuda with cardamom, Kuruluthuda cooked in garlic oil and aromatic red onion, or curry leaf-tempered rice with five spices.
Kekulu or kakulu is a traditional rice variety. This rice is the same grain as Nadu rice, but it's never preboiled nor parboiled before the milling process. Most kekulu is white or red rice, but there is also brown kekulu, which is considered to be one of the most nutritious rice varieties in the country.
This rice variety is commonly polished or sometimes even double-polished. Kekulu has a neutral flavor and it's commonly used for kiribath rice pudding. The red variety of kekulu is especially popular among rural people in the south.
TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable. TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.