Views #1036 | Intermediate (B1)

Sri Lankan Food

Buddhi talks about the cuisine of her country of Sri Lanka.

Edwin: So, what about Sri Lankan food? What are some of the good dishes in Sri Lanka?

Buddhi: What we eat every day, almost every day, is rice and curry, so lunch is usually rice and curry. Curry will be usually spicy, and we eat lots of veggies, so we'll have like at least two or three dishes of different kinds of veggies, all cooked with different kinds of spices, and we have so many styles, and we'll have something fried as well along with green leaves, a dish that's a definite Sri Lankan lunch.

Edwin: Is it really spicy?

Buddhi: The curry yes, but it depends, like at my house my dad loves a lot of spices in it, and my mom does cook a lot of spicy food, but she knows that I can't eat too much spice, so she makes sure that I can eat it as well, so it turns out to be really good, and one more I want you to know is roti. It's called roti, and you eat it with coconut sambol like. It's a mixed coconut dish.

Edwin: Ah, so it's a bit sweet.

Buddhi: No, no, it's spicy. We put a lot of chili powder and also maybe chicken or fish curry. I love that. I love that. But the rhoti is actually made out of coconuts as well, but it's not sweet. It's not sweet. And another one, called hopper. You need a special pan to make it, and you can eat it with egg in it. Also, like for an evening, you can put honey or sugar in it and make it the sweet way, and it will be like really yummy to have tea or something.

Edwin: Is that your personal favorite?

Buddhi: I love hopers, yeah. Also, roti. I don't know. When it comes to Sir Lankan food, I'll eat anything. I love them. Especially now that I'm here, I really miss Sri Lankan food a lot.

Edwin: I really don't like too spicy food. Is there any Sri Lankan food that's not too spicy?

Buddhi: Of course we do. We do. There's one called Pitu. Kids eat it with sugar and coconut milk, so that's not spicy at all. You can also eat it spicy if you want with some curry in it. And we have a lot of sweet food. Especially during the festivals. We cook a lot ... we make a lot of sweets, Sri Lankan traditional sweets, so you really need to try them. I'm sure you'll like them.

Edwin: Yeah, I'm sure I will. So I guess you guys use a lot of coconut as well?

Buddhi: We do. We do like curries, or whatever it is. It has coconut in it. Yeah, and lemon

Learn Vocabulary from the Lesson

as well

notes

I can eat it as well.

"As well" means also or in addition to something.

  1. I like seafood as well as chicken.
  2. I can play hockey, soccer and the piano as well.

turns out to be

It turns out to be really good.

notes

This expression means the result of something, and it is often a surprise to the speaker.

  1. I thought cats were independent animals but it turns out they are quite needy in real life.
  2. Most people think a tomato is a vegetable but it turns out to be a fruit.

yummy

It will be very yummy.

notes

A slang expression meaning something is delicious or tasty.

  1. Chocolate gateau is my favorite desert, it is yummy.
  2. Warm soup on a cold night is yummy in my tummy! (tummy = stomach)

When it comes to

When it comes to Sri Lankan food, I'll eat anything.

notes

"When it comes to" means in this case or situation.

  1. When it comes to fashion sense, Ted is clueless.
  2. When it comes to suntan lotion, I want the highest UV coverage.

I guess

So I guess you guys use a lot of coconuts as well.

notes

"I guess" means I imagine or speculate about something, I don't know it definitely.

  1. Jose is from Spain so I guess he plays soccer.
  2. It looks like rain so I guess we should take an umbrella.

Vocabulary Quiz

as well • turns out • yummy
I guess • when it comes to
  1. I failed my German class. I am not good at languages.
  2. He speaks French, and Thai .
  3. I hope the food to be delicious .
  4. I thought the food was .
  5. Well, cooking, I am not very good.
Answer the following questions about the interview.

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