Sri Lankan cooking class in Colombo: Learn curries and sambols

Make four curries, rice and sambols from scratch with a Sri Lankan chef

A three-hour cooking class in Colombo where you learn to prepare traditional Sri Lankan dishes (hot and spicy chicken curry, beetroot curry, lotus root curry and eggplant curry, plus rices and sambols) with Chef Mohara Dole. You cook alongside the chef at the stove, receive written recipes for every dish, and take home the knowledge to recreate the meal in your own kitchen. All ingredients and beverages are provided.

The experience

Chef Mohara Dole teaches you the foundations of Sri Lankan cooking by walking you through the preparation of four curries, different rices like basmati and samba, and sambols: the fresh condiments that anchor every Sri Lankan meal. You work at the stove yourself, not watching from the side. The class is built around you learning by doing, with the chef guiding each step. The three hours move through ingredient selection and technique, so you understand not just the recipe but how the flavors build.

At the end of the session, you sit down to share the meal you've made together. This is not a tasting tour or a demonstration you watch. You've cooked it, so you know exactly how to make it again. The recipes go home with you in writing, and the chef gives you a personal window into how Sri Lankan home cooking works: the spices, the balance between heat and other flavors, the role of coconut milk and curry leaves. Soda, pop and bottled water are provided throughout.

What’s included

• All ingredients for the meal.
• written recipes for every dish you cook.
• soda, pop and bottled water throughout the class.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Under 12: can't be included in the booking

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Malay

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 13 days ago

Good to know

Wheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Cooking By Colour - Sri Lankan Cuisine with Mohara Dole in Colombo

Is this one for you?The class is taught in English and Malay, so you can follow the instruction and ask questions comfortably in either language. The minimum age is twelve, which means families with older children can cook together.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Malay.

What curries and dishes do I actually cook in the three hours?

You prepare hot and spicy chicken curry, beetroot curry, lotus root curry and eggplant curry, along with basmati rice, red raw rice and samba rice, plus sambols. All four curries and the rices are the core of the class. The sambols round out the meal you share at the end.

Do I get the recipes to take home?

Yes. You receive written recipes for every dish you cook, so you can recreate the meal in your own kitchen once you're home.

Is this a hands-on cooking class or a demonstration?

It's hands-on. You work at the stove alongside Chef Mohara Dole, preparing each dish yourself with guidance rather than watching a demonstration. The class is designed so you learn by doing.

Are all the ingredients provided, or do I need to bring anything?

All ingredients for the lunch or dinner you cook are provided, along with soda, pop and bottled water. You bring nothing except yourself.