Lamprais

What is Lamprais?

Lamprais is a meal where spiced rice, a rich meat curry, fried plantain and eggplant, sweet onion sambol, belacan (a fermented shrimp paste), and small meatballs are bundled together. Everything is wrapped in a banana leaf and baked, which gives the dish a subtle aroma. The rice is cooked in meat stock and fried in ghee or butter with onions and spices. The dish is hearty, with a mix of savory, sweet, and spicy flavors, and is served hot.

Where does Lamprais come from?

Lamprais was created by the Dutch Burgher community in Sri Lanka, a group descended from Dutch, Portuguese, and local Sri Lankan people. The dish draws inspiration from the Indonesian snack lemper, which is glutinous rice with seasoned meat wrapped in banana leaf. The Dutch in Sri Lanka likely adapted lemper into a full meal during the colonial period. The name comes from the Dutch word 'lomprijst', meaning a packet or lump of rice. Lamprais first appeared in print in the 1929 Ceylon Daily News Cookery Book.

How is Lamprais made?

To make lamprais, short-grain rice is first fried with onions and spices in ghee or butter, then cooked in meat stock. A curry is prepared using three meats, usually beef, pork, and chicken, along with fried ash plantain and eggplant. Seeni sambol, a sweet and spicy onion relish, and belacan are added, as well as small spiced meatballs called frikadeller. All these components are placed on a banana leaf, wrapped into a parcel, and baked in the oven. Sometimes, a deep-fried hard-boiled egg is included.

How and when is Lamprais eaten?

Lamprais is eaten as a main meal, often for lunch or dinner. It is served hot, straight from the oven, with each portion wrapped in its own banana leaf. The banana leaf helps keep the different elements moist and adds a gentle fragrance. It is a dish enjoyed in homes and sometimes at gatherings, and can be eaten with a spoon or by hand. The mix of curries, rice, and sides makes it a complete meal.

Kinds of Lamprais

While the traditional lamprais always features three types of meat, modern versions may use just one, such as chicken or fish, or even be made vegetarian. Some cooks add a deep-fried hard-boiled egg, though this is not part of the original recipe. The sides and spices may also vary by household or region, but the method of wrapping and baking in banana leaf remains central.

What Lamprais means

Lamprais is a signature dish of the Dutch Burgher community in Sri Lanka and reflects the island's colonial history. Its preparation is often a family or communal activity, especially for gatherings. The dish is not tied to any specific festival or religious event, but it is a source of pride and identity for the Burgher community. Its unique blend of influences makes it a symbol of Sri Lanka’s multicultural food heritage.

Questions people ask about Lamprais

Good reading and sources

• Lamprais on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• Wikidata recordOpen data