Garden to Table: Spices
Niluka
Verified hostNiluka cooks the way her grandmother taught her — over open fire, with spices ground that morning. Her coastal home kitchen has become a quiet pilgrimage spot for travellers who want to taste real Sri Lanka.
The experience
What you'll do
Begin the day in a heirloom spice garden where Niluka's family grows cinnamon, cardamom, pepper and a dozen things you'll smell before you can name. You'll harvest what the day's menu calls for and learn how each spice changes when it's fresh, dried, or roasted.
Back at her coastal home, you'll cook three or four traditional curries side-by-side over a clay hearth, then sit down to a long, generous lunch with her family — followed by king coconut on the verandah and a slow walk back to the beach.
Your journey
How the day unfolds
Spice garden harvest
A guided walk and tasting through the family's heirloom garden.
Market detour
Pick up fish and produce at a small village market.
Open-fire kitchen
Cook three traditional curries and a coconut sambol from scratch.
Long lunch
Sit down to lunch with Niluka's family, then king coconut on the verandah.
What's included
- Hotel pickup within Galle area
- Spice garden visit and tasting
- All ingredients and cooking
- Full lunch with the family
- Recipe cards to take home
What to bring
- Light, breathable clothing
- Sandals you can slip off
- An appetite
- Any allergies noted in advance