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Kallapam is a traditional coconut pancake that's popular in Sri Lanka and Kerala. It's made with a combination of raw and cooked rice, coconut milk, grated coconut, yeast, shallots, sugar, salt, and cumin seeds. Traditionally, the pancake is made with kallu (toddy or fermented palm wine), which is used as the raising agent instead of yeast, but it's usually not that easy to get a hold of it.
The batter is fried in a pan, and after a minute or so, the pancakes are ready. Kallapam is usually served warm with chicken curry or beef cooked in coconut milk.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
This famous Sri Lankan curry is made with a combination of crab meat, lime juice, milk or coconut milk, curry leaves, grated coconut, ginger, shallots, garlic, cinnamon, turmeric, fenugreek seeds, and red chili peppers. The curry is cooked until the crabs are fully cooked and the gravy develops a thick consistency.
It is recommended to serve this dish hot with rice and Indian flatbreads on the side.
MOST ICONIC Sri Lankan Crab Curry
Pongal is a rice pudding that is usually eaten during special or ceremonial occasions in Southern India and Sri Lanka. It is usually cooked in a clay pot over an open fire. Milk and water are boiled first, and according to Tamil beliefs, if the liquid spills over the pot it will bring good luck and prosperity to the family.
The preparation of pongal is a family affair because each family member ceremonially adds a handful of rice to the pot. Subsequently, remaining rice is added to the dish with sweet (sakkarai) or savory (ven) ingredients. Pongal is served on banana leaves, and before it is consumed the entire family says their prayers to the Sun god.
VARIATIONS OF Pongal
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Kokis is a Sri Lankan dessert with Dutch origins, consisting of a batter made with coconut milk, eggs, and rice flour. The batter is coated around decorative molds and deep-fried in coconut oil until it develops a crispy texture. Kokis can be consumed as an appetizer, snack, or a dessert, and it is especially popular around Sinhala and Tamil New Year celebrations.
Lamprais is a complex Sri Lankan dish usually consisting of stock-cooked short-grained rice, three meat curry (beef, pork, and lamb), wambatu moju (eggplant pickle), seeni sambol (onion relish), blanchan (shrimp paste), frikadeller meatballs, eggplant and ash plantain curry, while the common addition also includes fried boiled eggs.
All the ingredients are placed inside a banana leaf to create a parcel that is then baked in the oven. Traditional versions nowadays often substitute meat curries with other types of meat such as chicken, while fish and vegetable versions are also common.
Mutton rolls are Sri Lankan snacks or appetizers consisting of pancakes that are filled with potatoes, onions, and mutton, which are then wrapped and deep-fried. The pancakes are usually prepared with flour, eggs, milk, and water. After they have been shaped into rolls, the pancakes are dipped in batter, rolled in breadcrumbs, then deep-fried in very hot oil.
It is recommended to serve them with chili-based dipping sauces on the side.
Pol sambola is a traditional side dish made with fresh coconut, red onions, red chilis, chili powder, and lime. Optional ingredients include garlic, cured tuna (Maldive fish), and chopped tomatoes. The dish is prepared by crushing all the ingredients in a mortar, and it is usually flavored with freshly squeezed lime juice.
Pol sambola is popular in Sri Lanka, where it can be found anywhere from humble homes in rural areas to high-end restaurants in Colombo. It is typically served as a side to string hoppers, steamed rice, or curry.
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