As with every other country Sri Lankan cuisine is characterized by the influences of the many cultures the country has come into contact with over several centuries and food crops and ingredients that are found in the different climatic zones of the country. The core of the country’s cuisine continues to be various varieties of rice and rice based products usually eaten thrice a day with spicy and chili hot curries that are enhanced with the addition of coconut milk. Although the taste of the curries and the preparation of rice may vary among the different ethnic groups and people from different regions rice, curry and food prepared by mixing rice flour with other ingredients is the anchor of the cuisine.
With changing tastes, South Indian influenced rice based food such as hoppers, pittu, string hoppers and various types of rottis accompanied by curries with and without chili now represent the main dish either at breakfast or dinner in many homes. The main meals are generally accompanied by a selection of sweet chutney made from a range of fruit, pickles from lime, onion and vegetables and something crunchy like deep fried papadams or sprats. 
Celebratory cuisine on the other hand is a different matter. Although still rice based the influences of North Indian, Arab and even the Dutch are apparent here. Buriyani that fabled North Indian rice dish with Persian overtones is a favourite at celebratory occasions in the Muslim community while many Sri Lankan cooks have their own favourite Buriyani recipe as to how to achieve the perfect taste. Fried rice with Chinese overtones and the Indonesian Nasi Goreng have been popular celebratory fare over a long period. Saffron coloured yellow rice accompanied by a host of deep fried, sauted and curried vegetables, fish, seafood and meats is a staple on many festive occasions while the Dutch influenced lamprais, made with a very small grained rice, deep fried vegetables, egg and meats wrapped in banana leaf have been on Sri Lankan celebratory tables since the 18th century. 
Sweets are also very much a part of traditional Sri Lankan cuisine and each region has its own favourite sweet while many others influenced by Dutch, Portuguese and British colonials, Arab traders, Indian and Malay settlers have come to be considered as part of the country’s cuisine. 
An extraordinary leftover of colonial times is what is known as ‘short eats’ which has now become an integral part of Sri Lankan cuisine. Served at afternoon teas at posh hotels and in little wayside establishments they are eaten at any time of day when in need of a snack or when hunger pangs strike and is washed down with a hot cup of tea. These are a collection of vegetable, meat or fish stuffed pastries and deep fried crumbed rolls and cutlets found only in Sri Lanka. 
No cuisine is complete without a taste of the local brew. Toddy made from coconut and ‘Kitul’ palm sap and sold in bottles or dispensed from kegs at wayside bars have been appreciated by locals and visitors for a very long time. ‘Arak’ made from fermented and distilled coconut sap has been the brew to down when in need of a kick. The country has also been brewing some excellent lagers and stouts ever since breweries were set up in the 19th century. When talking of beverages tea is not to be omitted as it is the national brew and is drunk several times a day with or without milk and highly sweetened on a daily basis by practically everybody. 
Surrounded by a 26 acre tropical garden and located just minutes away from the famed historic site Sigiriya Village offers a selection of comfortable, contemporary rooms and luxurious cottages, modern leisure and wellness facilities that include a swimming pool, tennis court and an Ayurvedic treatment centre. As one of the main hotels in Sigiriya guests are assured of hassle free comfortable stays amidst relaxing rural surroundings. Enjoy excellent value at Sigiriya hotel while experiencing an important chapter of Sri Lanka’s cultural heritage.