2017 Nov 29
When it’s 30 degrees outside and you’re sweating beads the size of Sri Lanka’s debt, a cool drink is always welcome! Sri Lankans are welcoming, friendly, and always ready to have a drink – be it thambili or a mug of beer! So here’s a list of the drinks us Sri Lankans tend to enjoy most, on a day to day basis!
1. King Coconut
You’ve seen them on your way to school, work, tuition, and literally on every corner of a bustling road! Given the abundance of coconut trees in Sri Lanka, it isn’t surprising to see many thambili vendors, armed with their machetes and orange goodies. Moreover, for about 60 rupees, you can get your hands on one that not only quenches your thirst but is also conveniently rich in fiber and nutrients!
2. Arrack
Whether it comes in a small bottle which can be concealed in the folds of a sarong, or sits dead center on the table at a baila session or funeral, Sri Lankans will always have a special place in their hearts and livers for arrack! Brewed and served within almost any city in the country, this beverage can easily relieve you of stress on a Friday night. It’s certainly not the best thing to drink if you’re thirsty, but boy does this pack a punch! Pair it with the right snacks, and you’ve got yourself one hell of a night.
3. Kola Kenda
Although we have fond childhood memories of sneaking around the house trying to discard every remaining drop, this concoction of blended herbs (and sometimes boiled rice)is definitely a go-to Lankan drink. Most of us had to endure Kola kenda being poured into our glasses at 5:45 in the morning before heading out to school, to ensure a complete breakfast. Regardless of the fuss we used to make, it always hits us in the feels whenever we pass a kola kenda stand by the side of the road.
4. Naarang Juice
Made with the simplest of ingredients (water, salt and sugar; for those of you who haven’t figured it out by now), this comes with a wonderfully weird taste. Is it sweet? Is it sour? There’s no need to bother comprehending when it tastes so good! Added bonuses include the fact that naarang grows and adapts to most weather conditions, which is great since you can be sippin’ all day long! If you don’t have the luxury of your own naarang tree, don’t fret. You can always find a little cart that sells cold refreshing juice for a nominal fee.
5. Samahan
Ah, ammi’s remedy for every disease in the world! Your ailment could range from having a simple headache to dengue fever and yet you’d still find a mug of Samahan on your nightstand. This will be alongside a packet of crackers, and a caring mother who will do her very best to make sure you finish the whole thing – including the bitter residual bits at the bottom!
6. Beer
Regardless of how skinny our hardworking Sri Lankans are, you can always spot that one beer fanatic from a mile away, with the tell-tale sign of the roundest belly that their body can accommodate! Cracking one open with the kollas is a Lankan sign that you know how to enjoy good company. It certainly doesn’t hurt one bit that beer prices have dropped as low as they can get recently!
7. Tea
This beverage could easily qualify as our country’s national drink (pardon me if it already is). Every Lankan household will definitely have enough tea and will be more than delighted to entertain guests with it. This humble beverage has blessed many other countries with its unique taste and variety of flavours – and even helps most Lankans release tension multiple times a day. Whether it is made with milk, sugar, or shavings of ginger; no beverage is as quite as Sri Lankan as this!
