Sri Lankan Cooking Class in Hikkaduwa: Make 7 Dishes

You scrape the coconut yourself and cook the fish from scratch.

A hands-on cooking class in Hikkaduwa where you make seven Sri Lankan dishes (red rice, fish ambul thiyal, dhal curry, coconut sambol, gotu kola sambol, manioc and papadam) over two hours with a live English-speaking guide. You prepare each dish practically, not just watch a demonstration. Tea or coffee is served on arrival, and you eat the meal you've cooked at the end. A printed recipe booklet goes home with you so you can remake them.

The experience

This is not a demonstration where you sit and watch. Ranga and her mother run the class together (her mother does the cooking while Ranga explains in English), and you work through each step yourself. You'll scrape fresh coconut by hand, learn how to prepare Sri Lankan spices, and handle the fish and vegetables as you build the curries. The class covers seven dishes in two hours, moving through red rice, dhal curry, fish ambul thiyal, gotu kola sambol, coconut sambol, manioc and papadam.

The meal you cook becomes lunch or an early dinner. Tea or coffee arrives when you start, and once the dishes are ready, you sit down and eat what you've made. A booklet with recipes and instructions for each dish goes home with you, so the cooking doesn't stop when the class ends. You can remake these curries in your own kitchen.

What’s included

• Two hours of hands-on cooking instruction in English.
• preparation and cooking of seven Sri Lankan dishes.
• tea or coffee on arrival.
• the meal you cook.
• a printed recipe booklet to take home.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 10:30

AgesAdult (18 to 54 years) · Senior (55 to 60 years) · Youth (13 to 17 years) · Child (9 to 12 years) · Infant (4 to 8 years) · Under 4: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

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.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 14 days ago

Good to know

Stroller-friendlyPublic transport nearby

Operated by Sri Lanka Chamo Tours

Is this one for you?You do the cooking yourself rather than watch it happen, so this suits anyone who wants to learn by doing and leave with real skills, not just a memory of watching someone else work. Children from age 4 can join, making it a hands-on activity for families, though the physical tasks like scraping coconut work best for kids who can handle kitchen tools safely.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 17 years); Child (9 to 12 years); Infant (4 to 8 years). Children under 4 can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What exactly do I cook in the two hours?

You make seven dishes: red rice, dhal curry, fish ambul thiyal, gotu kola sambol, coconut sambol, manioc and papadam. Each one teaches you a different technique, from spice preparation to coconut scraping to curry-building.

Do I get to eat what I cook?

Yes. Once all the dishes are ready, you sit down and eat the meal you've prepared. Tea or coffee is served at the start of the class as well.

Will I be able to make these dishes at home after the class?

The class includes a printed booklet with recipes and instructions for each of the seven dishes, so you can recreate them in your own kitchen once you're home.

Is this class private or will there be other people cooking?

The class is taught by Ranga and her mother, and the setup accommodates small groups, though the exact group size depends on the day you book.