Short eats that define Sri Lanka’s snacking culture

Savoury, filling, and delicious — the short eats of Sri Lanka are ubiquitous and inviting, writes Soumya Gayatri

Sri Lankan rolls PHOTO BY AUTHOR

A choon paan truck in Jaffna. PHOTO BY AUTHOR

Whether you are strolling along Colombo’s scenic waterfront, hiking in the verdant hills of Nuwara Eliya, or temple-hopping in the far-flung northern city of Jaffna, you will always find a variety of short eats to snack on — often accompanied with a unique twist on the region, you are in.

Short eats are stuffed snacks that are usually baked or fried. They are small in size, easy to carry and can be eaten on the go — giving them the perfect moniker “short eats”.

Short eats go well with tea and coffee but you can grab one anytime during the day. They work remarkably well in satisfying midday hunger pangs. The nearest bakery or street cart will always have a glass box filled to the brim with all kinds of tempting short eats. Vadais, samosas, rolls, and patties are some of the most common ones. What makes short eats special is the fact that they are an integral part of Sri Lankan cuisine and culture. “Short eats are closely interwoven into our daily lives,” says Dulshan Hemasinghe, a foodie and local tour guide in Colombo. “For every Sri Lankan, a typical day begins with fresh, warm bread from a choon paan (mobile bakery) truck, followed by vegetable roti at the morning tea break, and ending with a maalu paan in the evening. We indulge in egg rolls when we go shopping and love to share vadais when we hang out with friends,” he adds.

One of the most popular Sri Lankan short eats is the familiar vadai. Ulundu vadai, a fried lentil doughnut which is very similar to the medu vada that we know in India. It came to Sri Lanka with the Tamils from South India and has now become the country’s go-to snack for all social occasions. An interesting variation called the isso vadai (Bengal gram fritters topped with small prawns) is much sought-after. You’ll find the best isso vadai on the street carts of Colombo’s waterfront promenade called Galle Face Green.

Sri Lankans also love their Chinese rolls which are thin pancakes stuffed with spicy fish or mutton filling, rolled, breaded, and deep-fried. If you are looking for vegetarian rolls, try the ones at Hela Bojun Hala food courts in the countryside where local women serve traditional dishes at low prices. Sri Lankan rolls that were once inspired by the classic spring rolls of East Asia have now become an inextricable part of the country’s social fabric.

Another well-liked Sri Lankan snack is the tasty vegetable roti or curry roti. Locally known as elawalu roti, this vegetarian snack consists of spiced filling wrapped in a thin, flaky flatbread and makes for a healthy between-meals sandwich. Easy to identify by their triangular shapes, curry rotis can be found everywhere — street carts, roadside shacks, bakeries, and even sit-down restaurants.

A long history of colonial rule introduced numerous new recipes on the island of Ceylon. One that stuck around was the English patty that gradually evolved into a Sri Lankan version. A Sri Lankan patty is a flaky pastry filled with spicy fish and potatoes. Shaped like a half-moon, these patties resemble Spanish empanadas and Indian karanjis but taste completely different from the scrumptious curried filling.

Families often make them at home in large quantities and freeze them for guests and parties. Another colonial remnant is the spicy fish cutlet, probably a long-lost cousin of the Portuguese bolinho.

No discussion on Sri Lankan short eats is ever complete without a mention of the mouth-watering maalu paan. Filled with savoury mackerel stuffing, these soft fish buns are every child’s favourite. Talk to any local and they will have fond childhood memories of heading to the neighbourhood bakery for an early morning stash of maalu paans that they would either eat for breakfast or carry in their lunch boxes to school.

Sri Lanka’s medley of short eats is as diverse as the ethnicities of the people that inhabit this island nation. The country’s strategic location on ancient trade routes and its eclectic colonial past has greatly influenced the flavours of Sri Lanka. “However, every time something new has landed on the island, locals have found ways to make it uniquely Sri Lankan and that is especially true in the case of short eats,” points out Hemasinghe. One cannot help but agree.

It is true that short eats in Sri Lanka have had a long and eclectic past and relishing the country’s most popular snacks is like peeling back multiple layers of Sri Lankan history. But, over time, short eats have evolved to represent the island’s unique
culinary flavours and the people’s unwavering love for snacks and good food. The evolution has also brought with itself a feeling of camaraderie that every Sri Lankan enjoys when they share a plate of fried goodness with many others. Like they say, “If you wish to feel at home in Sri Lanka, have a plate of short eats and wash it down with a cup of hot Ceylon tea and let the magic begin.”