Cook Authentic Sri Lankan Dishes with a Local Family in Nilaveli

Sri Lanka

6 hours (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

Sample Menu

Main

Rice and Curry (Vegetarian)

Fragrant rice served with a variety of flavorful vegetarian curries made from fresh local vegetables, coconut milk, and traditional spices

Main

Hopper String Hopper Pittu Coconut Roti Dosa

Hopper, string hopper, pittu, coconut roti, and dosa—iconic Sri Lankan staples made from rice flour and coconut, served with spicy sides.

Main

Rice and Curry Fish or Chicken

Learn to cook Sri Lankan Rice and Curry with your choice of fresh fish or chicken, served with flavorful sides and traditional spices.

Main

Rice and Curry Seafood

Sri Lankan Rice and Curry with Seafood: A flavorful mix of fresh fish, prawns, lentils, vegetables, and aromatic spices cooked the local way

What's Included

Cook equipment and incredints
Meals
Bottled water
Coffee and/or Tea

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

COOK WITH NIMALI
M5RQ+XP, Nilaveli 31010, Sri Lanka
Meeting Point: Meet at "Cook with Nimali at Nilaveli", located near 4th Cross lane Gopalapuram Nilaveli, near The Rice and Curry Seafood Restaurant & Pigeon Island Tours Google maps location COOK WITH NIMALI https://g.co/kgs/xTaM2hw Please arrive 10 minutes before the class start time.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible

No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers

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Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Reviews

5.0

based on 3 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

We had a fantastic time...

Dominic_H, Jul 2026

We had a fantastic time during the cooking class and learnt a lot. The food was amazing ! Highly recommend :)

Amazing experience learning how to cook the best curry in the world!

OanaMaria_B, May 2026

My husband and I had an incredible cooking experience with Nimali, and it was truly one of the highlights of our trip. We started at 4:00 PM and spent the afternoon learning how to prepare an authentic Sri Lankan black chicken curry from scratch. Nimali was an amazing host—warm, welcoming, patient, and incredibly knowledgeable. Cooking together with my husband made the experience even more special. One of the most fascinating parts of the class was learning about the different spices used in Sri Lankan cuisine. Nimali taught us how to make our own curry powder, explaining the perfect combinations of spices and how they create the unique tastes and flavours that make Sri Lankan curries so delicious. During the class, we took our time preparing and cooking five different curries, learning traditional techniques and gaining a real appreciation for the art of Sri Lankan cooking. The best reward came at the end of the course when we sat down and enjoyed an absolutely fantastic dinner made from everything we had prepared together. We would wholeheartedly recommend Nimali and this wonderful experience to anyone visiting Sri Lanka. It is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn authentic cooking from such a passionate and talented teacher. Thank you, Nimali, for your hospitality, kindness, and patience in teaching us how to prepare what must be the best curry in the world! We will cherish this experience and the memories we made for years to come.