Ceylon Spices

Herbs and spices have been a major influence on Eastern cuisine since times immemorial. Spices heighten the flavour and aroma of a dish. Currently, herbs and spices are valued beyond their rudimentary flavouring applications and see continued demand for various medicinal purposes.

As the name 'Spice Island' implies, Sri Lanka is no stranger to the world of herbs and spices. In fact, it is no exaggeration to state that spices have influenced the cuisine and the taste buds of the local communities with their rich flavour profiles and aromatic properties.

The 'Spice Island' came to be as a result of Sri Lanka's climatic conditions allowing for a variety of spices to be grown on the Island's soils. The abundance of these culinary treasures attracted the attention of many western nations throughout history who wished to source from Sri Lanka’s spice market.

Today, Sri Lanka's spice economy continues to flourish having penetrated the foreign markets which can't help but be allured by the rich aroma of Sri Lankan spices. Sri Lanka supplies the international market with some of the most sought-after spices and allied products such as cinnamon, pepper, cloves, cardamoms, nutmeg, mace and vanilla. Sri Lanka's spice exports have grown to amount to over 50% of all agricultural exports and continue to see upward trends as they find their way into the kitchens all over the globe.

These are 12 major Herbs and spices found in Sri Lanka.

CINNAMON
PEPPER
CURRY LEAVES
PANDAN LEAVES
LEMONGRASS (SERA)
CLOVES (KARAMBUNATTI)
CARDAMOM
CHILLI
CUMIN
CORIANDER
NUTMEG AND MACE
GINGER