3 Answers from travellers
Authentic Sri Lankan cuisine relies heavily on intense, fiery spices, particularly roasted chili powder and fresh green chilies. Local restaurants cook their curries in massive batches early in the morning, meaning the spice is already deeply infused into the gravy.
Even if you explicitly ask for mild food, the waiter cannot physically remove the spice from a pre cooked pot of chicken curry. The mildest option they have might still be far too hot for a sensitive foreign palate.
They are absolutely not sneaking extra spices in maliciously. Your best strategy is to order foods cooked completely fresh to order, like hoppers or fried rice, and insist they do not add any chili during the preparation.
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