Head out at rush hour and you'll see it everywhere across the island. Street carts sell piping-hot breaded egg rolls. Hawkers carry baskets of parippu vade (lentil fritters) from one bus to the next, one train to another. Sri Lankan food has always been about more than curry, and these on-the-go bites are proof.

At Kolamba, our Sri Lankan restaurant in London, these bites have a place on our menu too. Batter-fried cuttlefish with a spicy chilli glaze, a Sri Lankan bar essential. Breaded rolls loaded with minced mutton, potato and onion, part of the island's short eats culture.

Salads get the same treatment. Crunchies and condiments like sambol and mallung are the building blocks of everyday Sri Lankan meals, and you'll find them at Kolamba too. Take the green mango and papaya salad, tossed with chilli and cashew, and finished with an earthy, sweet jaggery dressing.

So this month, come along with us as we take a look at the light bites, condiments and salads of Sri Lankan cooking.

On-the-go bites in Sri Lanka

Parippu vade is one of those beloved snacks from my childhood. A coarsely ground mix of masoor dal, made into tiny fritters and fried until golden brown, packed with green chilli, onion and curry leaves, sometimes with a shrimp stamped on top. Served in little paper bags made of old newspaper, perfect for a long commute.

In cities and towns, small kiosks sell vibrant pearls of boondi, chewy chickpea-flour snacks dunked in sugar syrup and coloured bright red, orange and green. Next to them, tiny bags of puhul dosi, crystallised cubes of gelatinous winter melon, something we love to munch on during long drives.

Near bus and train stations, tea carts sell pol pani pancakes, a delicate crepe folded with caramelised coconut, golden pockets of jaggery that go well with a cup of tea, at home or on the street.

Yet more than anything, what comes to mind is the sweet tang of pickled fruit. Cubed pineapple, green mango and semi-ripe guava, all laced with chilli and salt, packed in little bags to take home or enjoy on the go.

Accompaniments for main meals

Pappadum is a must-have for every Sri Lankan meal. Salty and crunchy, made from spiced lentil flour, fried, toasted or charred over an open flame until they swell into crisp, golden wafers.

My father, who always wants something umami and spicy on the side, throws a few sun-dried red chillies into heated coconut oil, then tosses in a handful of haalmasso (dried anchovies) for something quick, sizzling and crunchy.

Then there's mallung, the Sri Lankan version of a salad, light, fresh and nutrient-dense. Gotukola (Indian pennywort) mallung is a family favourite. My mother picks a fresh bunch from our backyard, finely shreds the greens, and dresses them with lime juice, umbalakada (cured tuna flakes) and grated coconut.

There's the cucumber salad too, raw cucumber mixed with buffalo curd, red onion, green chilli and lime juice. And carrot sambola, finely chopped carrot with green chilli and coconut flakes, which we serve at Kolamba with a funky twist, crisp kale for extra crunch.

My favourite, though, is the bitter gourd salad, thinly sliced and fried, seasoned with chopped chilli, onion and a tangy lime dressing. It's how I learnt to love the bitter veggies.

Bites for every drink

Back home, Friday arrives with booze and beats. Hot butter cuttlefish is part of every round, and pairs well with beer or anything more potent, like Sri Lankan coconut arrack. Crispy, batter-fried calamari rings tossed in sizzling butter, cooked with spring onion and maalu miris (capsicum) for extra heat.

Then there's deviled chicken, just as fiery as it sounds. Chunks of chicken stir-fried and layered with a thick, glossy, spicy sauce, mixed with capsicum, chilli flakes and a little sugar to beat the heat. We do other devilled dishes too, with fish, sausage, beef and pork.

Roasted nuts earn their place as well, usually peanuts and cashews roasted in a hot wok with coconut oil and fragrant curry leaves. They go remarkably well with any Sri Lankan tipple. And no gathering is complete without murukku, the classic Sri Lankan cocktail mixture, seasoned chickpea flour deep-fried into brittle, noodle-like ribbons.

Curry might get all the attention, but it's these bites, these salads, these small plates that make up the rhythm of a proper Sri Lankan meal. Come find them for yourself, at Kolamba Soho or Kolamba East.

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