The Nature of Food in Sri Lankan Culture

The culture differs from country to country. In Sri Lanka, there is unique culture and civilization inherited from the past. Sri Lankans are great foodies and their food varieties are hot, spicy and nutritious.  Rice and curry is the staple food of a Sri Lankan which is usually consumed daily can be found at any special occasion. In ancient Sri Lanka, there were number of methods in relation to cooking rice.

Some of them are milk rice, tempered rice, ambul bath, cooked rice with bee honey, rice with spices, rice mixed with cereal, tempered rice with vegetable, yellow rice, rice mixed with green gram. There are evidences on cultivation by the Aryans regarding the main food in the Sri Lankan culture which is based on rice. As there was good paddy cultivation in Sri Lankan history rice became the staple food.

The historical writings and archeological sources provide witnesses that Sri Lanka has a unique food culture. Among these writings Mahawansa, Rasavahini, Saddarmaratnawali, Tupawansa, Bodhiwansa, Inscriptions at Thonigala, Medirigiriya and Pillar Inscription at Badulla are very significant. Sri Lankan style of cooking has been partial by south Indian cooking. Sri Lankan meal always consists of leaves, dry fish and several vegetable curries etc. Meat curries and fish dishes are the hot favorites among the tourists. Sri Lankan make special sweets with coconut milk, flour and Honey at cultural festivals like New Year.

According to the historical evidences the tank was introduced in the days of King Pandukabhaya for the cultivation of paddy. Today when we go to North and South of Sri Lanka we can see plenty of tanks done by different kings. As mentioned in the ancient Pali writings there was other food like green gram, millet, kurakkan, undu, gram, dhal were cultivated in Chenas. These built healthy people.

The components like carbohydrate, fat, protein, water and vitamin needed to be included in a balanced diet in traditional meals. Ancestors have knowledge in food processing and natural preservations. With the facts mentioned above we can come to a conclusion that ancient Sri Lankans had rice and food cultivate in chenas for their balanced healthy meals.