Sri Lankan cooking class — where to find an authentic one and what dishes should I expect to learn?

Home cook–style classes are definitely the best option and they exist in all the major tourist areas. Here's what to look for and expect:

What a good class covers:
- Rice and curry base: making a proper coconut milk curry (chicken, fish, jackfruit, dhal)
- Pol sambol (fresh coconut relish) — deceptively simple, endlessly useful
- Hoppers (appa) — lacy fermented rice flour bowls, the breakfast staple
- String hoppers (idiyappam) — if the host includes these
- Coconut roti (pol roti) — quick and deeply satisfying
- Seeni sambol (caramelised onion relish)

Full kottu roti is rarely included in classes (requires specialist equipment) but some offer it.

Best locations for authentic classes:
- Kandy: Several home-kitchen classes run by local women in residential neighbourhoods. Usually includes a market visit to buy ingredients.
- Galle area: Home cooks in villages near the Fort offer classes with spice garden visits.
- Ella: More tourist-oriented but still good options if you read recent reviews carefully.
- Colombo: A few high-quality options, some run by professional food bloggers who cook Sri Lankan food for visitors.

Price range: LKR 3,500–8,000 per person (USD 11–25) for a 3–4 hour class including market/spice garden visit and sitting down to eat what you cooked. Hotel cooking classes are typically USD 60+ and often not as authentic.

Vegetarian options: Excellent. Sri Lankan cuisine has a strong vegetarian tradition — dhal curry, jackfruit curry, green bean tempered, potato curry, all the sambols are vegan. Most classes can be fully vegetarian on request.