Food consumption is one of the main basic needs of all living beings for their survival, as it is precisely indicated according Maslow’s Hierarchy of basic needs.
Different cultures have origins of various food which varies in accordance with their Climate, Geographical locations and lifestyle of certain nations.
The uniqueness in using food depends on the cultivation’s people tend to engage with the different climate of the particular areas.
The aforementioned fact provides ample evidence to inculcate a clear idea in our mind to understand why the exchanging of food within a country occurs regularly. Sri Lanka is an island which possesses varieties of food and cultivation.
Most of the times people in the island prefer spicy and salty food in a way one can enjoy many varieties of food of the three main nationalities: Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims live in Sri Lanka.
The strong bond and caring of each other tends people to share food among the neighbors and the relatives in the vicinity of their locality.
Sri Lankans’ Staple Food
The staple food used by the people in the island is Rice. The Paddy is cultivated both in “Yala – Maha” seasons.
They engage with this paddy cultivation annually and it is a practiced ritual that the farmers offer the first portion of the harvest to Buddha to show their gratitude and the respect towards the religion and the harvest they gained by their hard work.
The particular ritual is performed by one of the old, experienced and reputed villagers. This depicts the fact that the Sri Lankan’s possess rituals associated with their own culture in the Chena cultivation in the dry zone of the country.
Sri Lankan’s have the practice of having their meals with several curries along with rice. People in the island add more condiments in cooking as they prefer spicy and salty taste compared to the westerners.
The food pattern of Sri Lanka seems very unique as the people of different areas of the country cook the same food in different ways. It is an interesting fact to notice that one can enjoy varieties of food items within the country.
Their balanced meal including local green leaves and Sambol, is a special local food a bit spicy made with coconut added with lime juice. The spices adding to the curries control sugar and the cholesterol level in blood is the specialty of cooking method of Sri Lankan food pattern.
Some people have rice and curry for breakfast, lunch and dinner as their main food.
Effect of Geographical location on food.
The close scrutiny of the food patterns of Sri Lankan’s proves the fact that it is different according to the geographical location and the climate of the particular areas.
People of three distinguishable zones of the country cultivate food that, suitable to their climate and exchanging of food especially vegetables and cereals occur all over the island.
Different varieties of vegetables, fruits, cereals and other crops are grown in the island’s varied agro – climatic areas.
Tea is a main export production of Sri Lanka which was introduced with the colonization. The humidity, cool temperatures, and rainfall in the central highlands of the country provide a climate that favors the production of high quality tea.
The cool and salubrious climatic conditions in the hill country are ideal for temperature crops like bean, carrot, leek, beet, cabbage, cucumber, salad leaves, bell pepper and strawberry which are delivered to the other areas of the country.
There are some colloquially named yams such as Innala, Kiriala, Nelum ala grown in water tanks, and Kohila grows in moisture are healthy food used by the locals. Bread fruit, young jack and Murunga are some foreign exchange crops in Sri Lanka. The availability of Special flavored Sri Lankan pineapple, Mangos teen, Ripe Jack, Manioc, Del, Avocado, Rambutan, Star fruit and Anoda brings the island towards prosperity.
Sri Lankan literature provides evidence of the ways, how people struggle to cultivate their food and exchange among each other. Farmers, fishermen and other professionals of agriculture render a great service in the food production in Sri Lanka. Martin Wikkramasinghe’s famous novels “Ape Gama” and “Madol doowa” highlight that the people of down south area of the country were using varieties of food items very interestingly by both younger and older generations.
Festive food in Sri Lanka
Sri Lankans prepare varieties of food items during their festive seasons. The three main nationalities have their unique and obvious food items in different tastes. Sharing of food among the friends of different nationalities is a common practice which can be seen within them.
The sweets such as Keum, Kiri bath (Milk Rice), Aluwa, Dodol, Kokis, Asmi, and Milk Toffee are the typical food items that people prepare during the festive season .In the meantime , People of down South area prepare Konda Keum with a unique taste and a shape for the New Yew celebrations and other ceremonial occasions as well. In some areas of the country people prepare Hath Maluwa made with seven various vegetables in it.
The Muslims prepare food specific to their culture comprising with Wattalappan, a favorite and delicious desert and Buriyani, a rice dish prominent in local Muslim feasts which is made with rice cooked in ghee with meet such as beef or chicken and spiced with various condiments.
Gulab, Jamun, Barfi, Brownies, and Boondi are some special sweets common in Ramadan festival of the Muslims. Godhambu is a specific food item during their fasting period.
Tamils prepare Pongal> Rice, vadei, laddu, Murukku and sweets like Ariyatharam and Sippi on their Thaipongal celebrations. Dosai served with Sambhar and coconut chutney is one of the most common breakfast items of Tamils. Idly is a savory cake made by steaming serving hot with a condiment such as sambar or chutney popular in the Tamil culture.
Sri Lankan Drinks
Sri Lankan’s have local drinks such as toddy made with coconut and Palmyra used in the ceremonial occasions before they get adapted to the western drinks. Toddy is still being prepared in the country side of the island that is consumed only by the males.
At the same time, Tea and coffee have a great demand from all over the island. People add ginger to tea to reduce the sugar. The Ayurveda drink Koththamalli, Beli Mal, Ranawara, Polpala are boiled to use as drinks by the locals.
Kola keda is a drink made by blending various green leaves is acclaimedas nutritious food that accumulates the physical strength of humans.
It’s very palpable that the Sri Lankan’s have their own identity in the food consumption as it varies in accordance with the Religion, Culture, Climate and Geographical locations.
At the same time, it is very pertinent that Sri Lankan food takes the Indian flavor as both countries are located in the same ocean so the crops grown in both countries look the same.
