The spiciest local meal that ever challenged me was at the long-since-departed Sri Lanka Curry House. Several dishes incorporated such incendiary seasonings that perspiration would begin to bead on my forehead when the serving platters were set down on the table. A...

This Sri Lankan street food consists of a pile of thinly sliced roti bread, carrots, onion and chicken, all chopped, fried and spiced. A curry gravy to pour over the top ties it all together. It’s at once satisfying, fresh, spicy and absolutely craveable, as are most...

The urge is to think of Sri Lankan cuisine as Indian. The tiny island sits at the southernmost foot of that country, but that’s only a fraction of the story. It’s Indian, sort of, but it’s also a tropical place, with all the influences that climate implies — coconut,...