Solo vegan for 3 weeks. How screwed am I outside Colombo/Ella?
3 Answers from travellers
You're actually not screwed at all. Sri Lankan rice-and-curry is 60-70% naturally vegan by default. Dhal curry, jackfruit curry, pumpkin, beetroot, gotukola, banana flower - all coconut milk base, no dairy. The catch: Maldive fish (dried fish flakes) hides in some sambols and mild curries. Learn the phrase 'no umbalakada' (no Maldive fish) and 'no fish, no chicken, no egg'. In villages this is understood; in cities they'll accommodate. Not repetitive at all - genuinely 30+ vegan curries in rotation.
Learning 'no umbalakada' now. This is way more encouraging than the western blogs implied.
Chef here. Add: hoppers (fermented rice flour pancake) - most are made with milk but many kade offer 'plain hoppers' vegan. String hoppers usually vegan (rice flour, water). Coconut roti, kola kanda (herbal porridge) - vegan. You'll eat like a king. Ella has dedicated vegan spots. Kandy too. Trincomalee will require more asking but still fine.
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