‘Lamprais’ is a very popular traditional dish from the Dutch Burgher community of Sri Lanka, a special rice dish with specific side dishes baked inside a banana leaf. This delicious combination of flavorful rice and sides makes Lamprais a mouthwatering, heavenly meal and a delightful treat to the taste buds.
Lamprais
(Sri Lankan Special Rice Dish)
Today I am sharing a classic Sri Lankan dish known as ‘Lamprais’. It is an excellent make-ahead meal ideal for family dinners or to have a get-together party. I hope you will try ‘Lamprais’ and enjoy it as much as I do!!
Lamprais is readily available throughout Sri Lanka as a handy take-home meal and simply, takeout is easier than cooking it at home. But in the country where now I live, there are no takeout spots/restaurants near me that serve Lamprais. If there are none, the only option I have is to create my own to satisfy my cravings. So, if you are in the same situation as me, I encourage you to try this recipe.
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Making Lamprais-
Plan and prep ahead of time
Making Lamprais from scratch is a complex and laborious process as it comes with rice and an assortment of side dishes that you need to cook separately.
It takes more time and culinary understanding than making a Sri Lankan-style simple rice and curry meal. So, I guess most Sri Lankans are intimidated by the thought of making Lamprais at home and I was one of them.
So, when making this recipe, I suggest preparing the recipe a few days or a week ahead and then keeping the prepared items in the fridge or freezer to make the process easier. Then you can assemble your Lamprais in a few hours and enjoy it in a happy mood.
Looking for more Sri Lankan recipes? Take a quick look at the recipe collection HERE.
Banana Leaves
Lamprais is traditionally wrapped and baked in a heated banana leaf and it adds a nice flavor and aroma to the dish. If you don’t have a banana tree around, you can buy them online, just like I do. Pack the leftovers in freezer-safe ziplock bags and keep them in the freezer for later use.
Well, I highly recommend using banana leaves. However, If you cannot find them, you can use parchment paper as the wrap instead of banana leaf.
In Sri Lanka, banana leaves (Kehel Kola) are available year-round and it is very common to use banana leaves to wrap food with or to use it as a plate to serve food on.
What is Lamprais?
‘Rice and Curry’ is the staple diet of Sri Lanka which is also considered as the national dish and banana leaf-wrapped rice and curry meals are something very common. However, Lampraise is a unique and special meal among all of them.
Lamprais, a traditional dish from the Dutch Burgher community of Sri Lanka, is loved by all communities in the country. It is also spelled “Lumprice”, “Lampraise” or “Lumprais” and the closest pronunciation is “lump rice”.
According to internet sources, the name is derived from the Dutch word “lomprijst” which loosely translates into “a packet/parcel of lumped rice”.
Fun Facts
- The word ‘Curry’ means a multitude of dishes that are made according to different methods of cooking from meat, seafood, lentils, vegetables, etc.
- Sri Lankan ‘Rice and Curry’ consists of rice served with several small portions of curries along with other accompaniments like condiments, pickles, salads, and papadums.
- The Dutch Burghers are an ethnic group of mixed Dutch, Portuguese Burghers, and Sri Lankan descent.
Lamprais-A Bit of History
According to internet sources, the dish was introduced to Sri Lanka in the 17th century by the Dutch when the coast of the country was under Dutch rule and it was influenced by the Indonesian (Javanese) dish called “Lemper“, a savory snack consisting of glutinous rice and shredded seasoned meat cooked in a banana leaf.
Then the Dutch Burgher community began adapting “Lemper” to local taste including a Dutch-style frikkadel (or meatball) along with local curries and condiments, creating a dish that is called “Lamprais” as we know it today.
What is Real Lamprais?
When I started to make Lamprais myself, I realized that I didn’t know much about it so I was curious and just googled as I always do…. and then I came to know this ‘Real Lamprais’ (or authentic Dutch Burgher Lamprais). However, the opinions vary from person to person.
According to the ‘Authentic Lamprais‘ recipe posted on the Facebook page of the Burgher Community of Sri Lanka, a Real Lamprais consists of Lamprais curry (Mixed meat curry), Frikkadels (Meat Balls), Brinjal (Eggplant) paella, Chili & Onion Sambol, Prawn Blachung, Ash plantain fries, and Rice cooked in meat stock, all of which is wrapped in banana leaves and baked in an oven.
Read more about Lampraise
Lamprais – An Inheritance from the Dutch
In Sri Lanka, Lamprais Keeps the Dutch Burgher Legacy Alive
Lamprais, Sri Lanka’s Favourite Banana Leaf Rice Meal
Lamprais – The Best Traditional Food in Sri Lanka
Lamprais that consists of yellow rice and side dishes!
What goes into Lamprais?
It seems over the years, the original recipe has undergone modifications so the dish varies from place to place. If you go to Sri Lankan restaurants/takeout spots, you’ll get different versions of ‘Lamprais’. Read more on the subject Going Durch: The Best Lamprais in Town!
Usually, Lamprais consists of savory rice and several specific side dishes.
- Ghee Rice (mostly) or Yellow Rice (sometimes)
- Mixed Meat Curry or One Meat Curry (mostly chicken)
- Brinjal Pickle (Batu Moju)
- Fried Ash Plantain Curry or Stir-fried Potato
- Chili Onion Relish
- Spicy Caramelised Onions (Seeni Sambol)
- Fish Cutlets
- A fried hard-boiled egg
Note: Mixed meat curry, also called three-meat curry, mostly contains chicken, beef, and pork.
Variation
You will also find some creative interpretations of the common recipe that substitutes meat curries with fish, seafood, or vegetarian versions with meatless curries.
My take on Lamprais recipe
Here is my take on Lamprais and its recipes to make the dish.
You can prepare most of the recipes a few days or a week ahead and then keep them in the fridge or freezer to reduce the overall cooking time. I have shared all of these recipes before so please click the links to get the recipes.
IMPORTANT: Remember to cook curries until the gravy turns thick.
- The Rice (Ghee Rice or Yellow Rice)
- Chicken Curry
- Fried Ash Plantain Curry or Devilled Potato
- Seeni Sambol (Onion Relish)
- Lunu Miris (Chili/Onion Relish
- Eggplant Pickle (Wambatu Moju)
- Fish Cutlets
- Fried Boiled Egg
All are wrapped in banana leaves to create a parcel and then baked in a warm oven for about 30 minutes until the aroma of the banana leaves infuses into the rice. This baking process is very important as it gives out a pleasant smoky flavor to the dish.
Ghee Rice
Ghee Rice (or Dunthel Bath) is the base for most of the Lamprais. It’s a Sri Lankan-style festive rice dish infused with the delicious flavors of ghee, aromatic spices, and local herbs. You can make it ahead of time and store it in an air-tight container in the fridge for about a week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Check out my Ghee Rice (Dunthel Bath) Recipe
Yellow Rice
You can substitute ghee rice with yellow rice; flavorful but not traditional. Sri Lankan-style Yellow Rice (or Kaha Bath) is a festive rice dish mostly served on special occasions. You can make it ahead of time and store it in an air-tight container in the fridge for about a week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Check out my Yellow Rice (Kaha Bath) Recipe
Chicken Curry
Check out the chicken curry recipes I have used to make my Lamprais. Remember to cook until the gravy turns thick. You can make all of them ahead of time and store them in an air-tight container in the fridge for about 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Check Out My Chicken Curry Without Coconut Milk Recipe
Check Out My Chicken Curry with Coconut Milk Recipe
Check Out My Chicken Curry (Kukul Mas Kari) Recipe
Fried Ash Plantain Curry
This unique Sri Lankan-style plantain curry is flavored with fragrant spices, local herbs, and coconut milk. You can make it ahead of time and store it in an air-tight container in the fridge for about 3 to 4 days. I don’t recommend freezing it.
Check out my Fried Ash Plantain Curry (Badapu Alu Kesel Kari) Recipe
Devilled Potato (Ala Thel Dala)
Devilled Potato is a Sri Lankan-style spicy dry potato curry that is locally known as Ala Thel Dala or Ala Baduma. You can make it ahead of time and store it in an air-tight container in the fridge for about 2 days. I don’t recommend freezing it.
Check out my Devilled Potato (Ala Thel Dala) Recipe
Eggplant Pickle (Batu Moju)
Batu Moju (aka Wambatu Moju) is a sweet, sour, and spicy Sri Lankan-style eggplant (or brinjal) pickle. You can make it ahead of time and store it in an air-tight container in the fridge for about one month or in the freezer for about 3 months or more. You can also just buy a jar of it online.
Check out my Eggplant Pickle (Batu Moju) Recipe
Onion Relish (Seeni Sambol)
Seeni Sambol is a sweet and spicy caramelized onion relish. You can make it ahead of time and store it in an air-tight container in the fridge for about one month or in the freezer for about 3 months or more. You can also just buy a jar of it online.
Check out my Seeni Sambol (Sri Lankan Onion Relish) recipe
Chili Onion Relish (Lunu Miris)
I usually make it the same day I use it.
Check out my Lunu Miris (Chili Onion Relish) recipe
Fish Cutlets
They are delicious as a snack with a cup of tea or as a side dish for lunch or dinner. Usually, in a Lamprais, you get one or two fish cutlets. You can make them ahead of time and store them in an air-tight container in the fridge for about three days or in the freezer for about 3 months or more.
Check out my Sri Lankan Fish Croquettes (Fish Cutlets) Recipe
Fried Hard-Boiled Eggs
You can use a hard-boiled egg or shallow fry it after seasoning with salt, chili, and turmeric. You can make it ahead of time and store it in an air-tight container in the fridge for about three days.
Looking for more Sri Lankan recipes? Take a quick look at the recipe collection HERE.
Preparing the Banana Leaf
You need to heat the banana leaf over a low open flame to make it soft and pliable enough to form the parcels and then bake. This step makes it easy to fold the leaf without tearing.
- Cut the banana leaf to the desired size
- Clean it in water and dry
- Gently heat it over a low open flame until pliable to wrap
TIPS
- You can use one whole banana leaf as the wrap.
- Sometimes, it may tear when handled. If that happens, you can use a foil wrap or parchment paper underneath the two or more pieces of leaves to secure them.
- Carefully and gently heat the leaf over a low open flame without burning it.
To Assemble
Place a portion of rice in the middle of the banana, curries, and condiments around it, and the egg and cutlets in the top middle.
Fold the banana leaf into a rice packet, taking care not to tear the leaf. Bring each edge of the banana leaves to the middle covering the food. Use a few toothpicks to hold down the leaf in place.
Tips
- When assembling, keep in mind the portion you place.
- Overcrowding leads to difficulty in wrapping it and tearing the leaf.
- If you find it difficult to hold down the leaf with a toothpick, use a foil or parchment underneath to wrap it over the banana leaf tightly.
Bake
Once the Lamprais is assembled in the banana leaf, place it in an oven-safe tray and bake it in the preheated oven at 350’F/175’C for about 30 minutes. When the baking is done, remove it from the oven.
As it is baking, the leaf will give a nice smoky flavor to the dish while the juices from the sides will ooze through the rice.
Serve and Enjoy!
Lamprais is a mouthwatering, heavenly meal and a delightful treat to the taste buds.
How to store?
After baking, wrap the parcels again tightly with parchment paper and then store them in an air-tight container in the fridge for about three days or in the freezer for about 3 months or more.
How do you reheat it? When you are ready to eat, thaw it for about 30 minutes before use. Place it in an oven-safe baking tray and bake for about 20 minutes at 350’F/175’C in a preheated oven.
How to use parchment paper?
If banana leaves are not available, you can use parchment paper as the wrap. I don’t want the foil touching the food, so I usually wrap the food in parchment and then cover it with foil if needed.
Parchment paper can be used to create parchment paper packets.
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Lamprais-Variation
You will also find some creative interpretations of the Lamprais recipe that substitute meat curries with fish, seafood, or vegetarian versions with meatless curries. Some also use Pol Sambol (Coconut Condiment) instead of Lunu Miris or Prawn Blachan.
Looking for more Sri Lankan recipes? Take a quick look at the recipe collection HERE.
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If you make any of my recipes, I’d love to see pics of your creations
#joyofeatingtheworld or @joyofeatingtheworld
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