Rice & Curry
Sri Lankan cooking has evolved around the staple rice.
The national meal is not referred to as Curry but Rice and Curry
.
More than 15 varieties of rice are grown on Sri
Lanka, from tiny white, translucent pearl shapes to long-grained
Basmati and the red Kakukuhaal.
The fully cooked (not al dente) rice has the highly
spiced accompaniments rubbed into it and each mouthful is gently
massaged by hand to mix the flavors.
A proper Sri Lanka Rice & Curry would not be swimming in sauce (isma),
as this would be too messy.
Sri Lankan Rice & Curry usually includes a variety of small
curry dishes - vegetable, meat or fish.
Vegetarians won't have any trouble finding tasty
food - vegetable curries are made from banana (ash plantain),
banana flower, breadfruit, jackfruit, mangoes, potatoes, beans,
ladies fingers (okra) and pumpkins, to name just a few.
