Exploring Vegan Sri Lankan Food at Kolamba

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How we eat, drink and spend our days back home in Sri Lanka seems to so effortlessly fit in with modern lifestyle trends such as veganism. For generations, Sri Lankans have been nurturing their cuisine, turning to the abundance of produce from the land to create delicious, vegan recipes. Legumes, leafy greens, fruits and vegetables are boiled, sauteed, stir-fried and slow-cooked in thick coconut milk to make healthy and nourishing Sri Lankan vegan dishes.  

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Here in London, we pluck from these inherent qualities of our island’s cuisine, plating Sri Lankan coconut dishes like creamy, rich dhal curry, and snacks made of banana blossom. And as one of the vegan-friendly restaurants in London serving Sri Lankan cuisine, we are sharing a little bit of wisdom from our motherland this veganuary. 

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Sri Lankan coconut dishes 

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Across the world, plant-based diets often focus on whole foods, including nuts, fruits and seeds. Sri Lankan cuisine is no different. In fact, the star ingredient of Sri Lankan cooking is the humble coconut. While many other cuisines turn to animal fats (like cow milk and butter) as thickening agents in their cooking, Sri Lankan cuisine mainly uses coconut milk as the binding ingredient. Traditionally, the white meat of the coconut is grated and squeezed with hands to prepare creamy, fresh coconut milk – it’s then added to dhal, vegetable and raw fruit to prepare flavoursom vegan-friendly dishes, like the sweet, sour and spicy ambarella (june plum) curry.  

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Sri Lankan cuisine also caters to gluten-free diets as vegan coconut curry dishes are often paired with rice or other rice-based carbs like string hoppers (soft, steamed rice flour noodle mats) and pittu (steamed ground rice layered with coconut shavings). For breakfast, rice is cooked in coconut milk and paired with a spicy onion and chilli relish called lunu miris.  

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Vegetables and leafy greens are often stir-fried or sauteed in coconut oil with spices and herbs like curry leaves, mustard seeds and pandan, adding a layer of flavour, depth and aroma to the dish. Another delicious Sri Lankan vegan recipe is the mallung (also spelt mallum), where leafy greens or finely sliced vegetables are sauteed with grated coconut. 

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There’s also sambol, which is a spicy condiment made of grated coconut, chilli, and lime. Although some recipes call for umbalakada (cured tuna), this dish works well without the preserved fish. Coconuts are also used to prepare tea time snacks and desserts like aggala, round-shaped balls made with roasted rice, grated coconut and bee honey or sugar, while a hint of pepper adds a touch of spiciness.

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Sri Lankan vegan recipes cooked with vegetables, fruits, and seeds

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Apart from coconuts, Sri Lankans also make use of the abundance of fruits, vegetables and seeds. Legume seeds like mung beans and cowpea (black-eyed seeds) are boiled for breakfast and paired with a handful of grated coconut to balance its flavour and nutrition. Chickpeas are either cooked into a curry or boiled and tossed with spices to prepare delicious sides. 

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Blessed with tropical rainforests and farmlands crisscrossed by rivers and streams, vegetables are plentiful. Wildgrown fruits like jackfruit and breadfruit are often incorporated into the everyday diet. At home, our cooks prepare baby jackfruit into a curry, slow-cooking chunks of the fruit for hours in a clay pot over an earthen fire. Jackfruit seeds are ground and made into sweet teatime snacks, while breadfruit is cooked into a delectable curry.

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There are others, too. Ash plantain is a local favourite. The banana blossom frequents the village kitchens where it’s made into a spicy curry. Other popular Sri Lankan vegan recipes include hathmaluwa, a seven vegetable dish often made during the Sri Lankan New Year in April. 

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Veganuary in London: Dining at Kolamba

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As Sri Lankan cuisine skillfully blends different plant-based ingredients, the food is often healthy, nutritious and flavourful. It’s high in fibre, nutrients and healthy fats. Spices used in everyday cooking – such as turmeric and cinnamon – are rich in antioxidants. At Kolamba, our menus derive inspiration from this age-old culinary wisdom. 

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If you are looking to explore veganuary restaurants in London this month, Kolamba is a great starting point to vegan-friendly Sri Lankan cuisine. Our menu boasts delicious, Sri Lankan coconut dishes like cabbage mallum (green cabbage tossed with grated coconut and spices), and dhal (red lentils cooked in coconut milk). There’s also fried okra as well as kale and carrot sambols prepared with scraped coconut. Kolamba’s menu also dips into popular vegan Sri Lankan desserts like watalappan, a coconut and jaggery custard paired with a hint of spice; it’s topped with cashews for an extra crunch. 

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The everyday lunch and pre-theatre menu at our Soho outlet is also a great introduction to vegan-friendly Sri Lankan cuisine, which comes with crunchy patties stuffed with banana blossom, roasted coconut pumpkin curry flavoured with lemongrass and curry leaves and a beautifully presented beetroot curry. 

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So if you are looking to explore new vegan-friendly restaurants in London this veganuary, come drop by. We’ve got a host of flavorful Sri Lankan vegan dishes to choose from, and dining at Kolamba is a great first step in embracing a plant-based, planet-forward lifestyle that also allows you to celebrate the flavours, traditions and generational know-how of our island home.

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