Sri Lanka’s culture is made up of various influencing factors. Religion and colonialisation by the Dutch, the Portuguese and the British have been the primary influencers, while its close connections with neighbouring India have also played a key role.
During the last century, Sri Lanka has changed remarkably. Historically, Sri Lankans were largely influenced by their own traditional food and Buddhism. However, with global developments, economical growth and intense competition in developed countries, Sri Lankans have ventured overseas and received global exposure. Consequently, this resulted in the integration of the western culture into the Sri Lankan community.
Sri Lanka’s cuisine mainly consists of boiled or steamed rice served with curry. Another well-known rice dish is Kiribath, meaning “milk rice.” Curries in Sri Lanka are not just limited to meat- or fish-based dishes but include vegetables and fruits. A typical Sri Lankan meal consists of a “main curry” (fish, chicken, or mutton), as well as several other curries that are made with vegetable and lentils. Side-dishes include pickles, chutneys and “sambols” which could be very hot to eat. The most popular sambol is the coconut sambol. Apart from sambols, Sri Lankans like to eat “mallung”, chopped leaves that are mixed with grated coconut and red onions. Coconut milk is found in most Sri Lankan dishes to give the cuisine its unique flavour.
sri lankan culture 