Lankan food combinations: How many have you tried?
As Sri Lankans we’ve been subjected to some very interesting and possibly extremely daring food combinations. This is probably because it is in our nature to experiment with food so that there is a fusion of flavours that cater to all areas of our palette.
Plain tea and jaggery
Speak to any Sri Lankan and you will find out how much we love our tea. This being said, we also love having an additional something with our tea just to add the right touch to it. In some instances, this ‘something’ comes in the form of jaggery (essentially containing concentrated sugar cane and date palm). The combination of plain tea and jaggery not only adds character and texture to the plain tea but it also consists of the right amount of that makes your evening cup of tea an exceptional delight!
Yogurt, honey, jaggery, sugar
If you are looking at experimenting further with jaggery, one thing you cannot go wrong with is the combination of yogurt (which can be substituted with curd), jaggery, honey and sugar. Yes, you read it right. Do not let the ingredients fool you to thinking this would be too much of a blast of sweetness in your palette.
The thing about the jaggery, honey and the sugar is that their flavours are so subtle and natural that it only teases your palette. The mixture with yogurt also cuts down on the sweetness with just the right degree of sourness.
Curd and rice
If you’re palette doesn’t lean on to the sweet side, there is also the option of mixing curd with plain rice. This mix is quite an interesting one because the starchy nature of rice combined with sour curd does create a different taste and touch to the plate.
Vanilla ice cream and Milo powder
Since recent times, Milo has also become almost a daily requirement. The fun thing about powdered Milo is that it can literally be combined with anything! This being said, add some Milo to your ice cream (yes, that does mean vanilla) and experience an ice cream combination like no other! The Milo and ice cream combination is a testament to the fact that Milo can make anything taste better!
Achcharu
Nothing says truly Sri Lankan like achcharu does. This combination of fruit infused in a variety of spices and flavours is possibly loved by most Lankans. If you don’t, you might want to keep it to yourself. The core ingredient here, which is the fruit, can vary from mangoes to veralu and even wood apple! Although you can make it at home, most people prefer to buy it from different road side carts or even at the Galle Face Green because only they seem to have mastered this art of making the finest achcharu in town!
Condensed milk and jelly
Another favourite that will not fail to disappoint is the combination of condensed milk and jelly! For some reason, Sri Lankans also seem to be adding condensed milk into everything that resembles desert so this should not come as a surprise! These two tend to complement each others’ flavours, where the condensed milk makes the jelly taste extremely creamy instead of light and enhances your taste buds even further.
Pineapple gateaux
Desserts are a must have in any sense of the word, and Sri Lankans seem to have mastered the art of making some amazing deserts with tropical fruits! This being said, a must have is the pineapple gateaux! Irrespective of if you make it at home or even purchase it from Green Cabin, this is one item that has to be tried at least once (you’re probably not going to stop there). Pineapple gateaux, unlike many other fruit cakes, gives just the right amount of fruity flavour with the natural pineapple syrup infused in the cake while also resulting in the cake being exceptionally soft and pleasant.
Ice cream and papadam
Speaking of dessert even further, just like regular ice cream would have a wafer stick, you could substitute the wafer stick with papadam. It tastes as interesting as it sounds! It not only adds the crunchy feel that any wafer stick would but also adds a somewhat salty flavour that any Lankan could relate to!
Ginger tea
Your evening could also be made a bit more exciting with a cup of ginger tea! The addition of ginger to your regular plain tea makes it quite interesting because the ginger adds a strong aroma to the tea and gives a very authentic taste to it.
Pol sambol
Last but not least a truly Sri Lanka meal will not be complete without the addition of pol sambol. This dish which consists mainly of scraped coconut is a staple and can be added to your bread and even with rice! Feel free to try it with anything and everything; you will not be disappointed!
This being said, there’s a lot in terms of what Sri Lankan food has to offer because there are simply no restrictions. So don’t be afraid to try new combinations because the results can be surprisingly good.
(Trekurious together with DailyFT explores Sri Lanka for the curious traveller. Trekurious works with talented individuals and great brands to create amazing experiential tours, activities, and events in Sri Lanka. You can find out more at www.Trekurious.com.)
