Sri Lankan Sea Food
Sri Lanka, the resplendent isle surrounded by the Indian Ocean has a variety of seafood to offer. Many of the hotels spread across the island provide a fresh catch which is a celebration of the country’s heritage and is a culinary experience that will enthrall taste buds and leave one happy and wanting more. Sea food contains important micro nutrients that are beneficial to health but cautioned should be exercised if one is taking it for the first time as certain individuals develop allergies.
Crabs
Crab is a very popular food. It can be prepared in a various ways. The two main ways of preparing crab is dry or curry. Many traditional Sri Lankan herbs and spices are added to make the crab dish rich and delicious. To relish crab meat, the crab has to be opened and on request a crab opener is provided. On special order, crab meat could be obtained without the shell and comes as a shredded substance to which spices and condiments are added.
Lobsters
Lobsters are found in many fancy dishes of Sri Lankan hotels. Regarded as a delicacy today, lobsters are highly-priced and have a higher nutritional value too. Lobsters are cooked either by boiling or steaming or grilling, and served with hot, melted butter garnished with vegetable leaves like broccoli salad. One of the tastiest sea foods, fresh cooked lobsters are also served chilled with a mayonnaise, cocktail or other cold seafood sauce for dipping. There are a number of local and international lobster recipes that tourists can experience here in Sri Lanka.
Shrimps
Shrimps come in various sizes. The favorite way to eat shrimp is devilled. This is a bit hot and spicy and overseas visitors may find that it doesn’t suit their usual cuisine but is nevertheless delicious. Shrimps can be made into a salad or roasted and had with barbecue sauce as well. This can be garnished with salad leaves, herbs, condiment powder and local ingredients. Shrimps can also be made into a juicy curry. The chef can be given instructions on the particular way one likes it prepared. Before eating shrimps, one should inspect whether they are cleaned or not as shrimps have a hard external covering that is not palatable to some.
Oysters
Oysters are a special dish prepared to perfection by local chefs. It is often eaten with a sauce and is an ideal accompaniment to any meal. In certain hotels cleaned oyster meat is provided without the shell and many spices, herbs and sauces are added to make this a tasty dish.
Fish
Fish comes in a variety of names from fresh water to salt water fish. Fresh water fish are caught from rivers or lagoons and saltwater fish are from the sea. The favorite kinds of saltwater fish are tuna, seer and shark while the river fish varieties like the Pethiya, Lula and Kanaya are bonier and a bit different in taste. Fish is cooked in an array of styles and the preferred way of having it should be communicated to the chef. The common ways of having fish is curry, fried, in a salad with fresh leaves, fish wellington or as dry fish. Many restaurants specialize in an exclusive fish counter with a wide selection of fresh and salt water fish. Local fish is cooked generously with spices, herbs and condiments. The preferred way of having fish should be communicated to the chef and on request a lesser amount of ingredients may be added. Fish like Balaya are considered to be ‘heaty food’ meaning that they can cause allergies. Thus caution should be exercised when having fish of this nature. Another popular fish delicacy is Ambul Thiyal. This is a dry curry where cooked tuna fish is well marinated with salt, vinegar and seasoning and kept in a clay pot for marinating. After the stipulated period of time, the fish is taken out of the pot and served. This is also a method of preserving cooked fish for a long period of time.
Cuttlefish
Cuttlefish is called Dello in Sinhala and comes in a ring-like appearance and can be made into a delectable array of dishes. The favorite way of having it is fried. This delicacy adds spice to any meal. It is normally prepared by a professional chef as it has to be properly cleaned and cut into small rings. Cuttlefish contains a bitter part and this has to be removed and the cuttlefish carefully be washed prior to cooking.
Top Things to do in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka Seafood, Sri Lanka offers a bounty of seafood dishes to satisfy your hunger pangs. The Sri Lankan lagoon mud crab, lobsters, the jumbo prawn. A sweet and sour seafood entrée with intense flavours, served in yoghurt gravy.
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