Spice Garden & Cooking Class
Half Day Experience
Discover Ceylon spices and learn to cook authentic Sri Lankan curry
Duration
Half Day
Start Time
9:00 AM
Group Size
2-8 people
Price
$55
Immerse yourself in Sri Lanka's spice heritage with a visit to an authentic spice garden in Matale or Mawanella. Sri Lanka has been the world's spice hub for centuries, producing cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, pepper, and vanilla that traders once traveled across oceans to obtain.
This hands-on experience includes a guided spice garden tour where you'll see, smell, and taste spices in their natural form, followed by a traditional cooking class where you'll learn to prepare authentic Sri Lankan rice and curry using fresh ingredients and centuries-old recipes.
9:00 AM - Hotel Pickup & Spice Garden Arrival
Pickup from your hotel in Kandy, Matale, or nearby areas. Short drive to an organic spice plantation. Welcome drink with king coconut water.
9:30 AM - Guided Spice Garden Walk
Expert guide takes you through the garden explaining each plant's medicinal and culinary uses. Spices you'll discover:
- • Cinnamon (Kurundu): See bark being peeled from trees
- • Cardamom (Ensal): Green pods on climbing vines
- • Cloves (Karabu Nati): Dried flower buds
- • Black Pepper (Gammiris): The king of spices
- • Nutmeg & Mace: Two spices from one fruit
- • Vanilla: Expensive orchid pods
- • Turmeric (Kaha): Golden root with healing properties
- • Ginger: Fresh rhizome for tea and curry
- • Curry Leaves: Essential aromatic herb
- • Pandan (Rampe): Fragrant leaf for rice
Duration: 1 hour | Taste and smell each spice
10:30 AM - Ayurvedic Remedies Demonstration
Learn how spices are used in traditional medicine:
- • Cinnamon oil for respiratory health
- • Turmeric paste for skin care
- • Ginger tea for digestion
- • Clove oil for toothache
- • Sample ayurvedic herbal tea blend
11:00 AM - Traditional Cooking Class
Move to the outdoor kitchen pavilion. Professional chef teaches you to cook authentic Sri Lankan rice and curry:
- • Coconut Sambol: Spicy coconut relish
- • Dhal Curry: Red lentils with tempered spices
- • Potato Curry: Creamy coconut-based
- • Green Bean Mellum: Stir-fried vegetables with coconut
- • Fish/Chicken Curry: Your choice with roasted spices
- • Rice Cooking: Perfect fluffy Sri Lankan rice
Learn techniques: tempering spices, roasting curry powder, coconut milk extraction, proper heat levels.
Duration: 1.5 hours | Hands-on participation
12:30 PM - Enjoy Your Meal
Sit down to eat the delicious meal you've prepared! Served on traditional banana leaf with:
- • Your freshly cooked rice and curries
- • Papadam (crispy lentil crackers)
- • Fresh fruit for dessert
- • Ceylon tea or fresh lime juice
1:30 PM - Shopping & Departure
Visit the spice shop to purchase fresh spices at wholesale prices:
- • Pure Ceylon cinnamon sticks
- • Organic curry powder blends
- • Vanilla pods and extract
- • Herbal teas and tisanes
- • Ayurvedic oils and balms
- • Recipe book (complimentary)
Return transfer to your hotel.
Techniques
- • Roasting and grinding curry powder
- • Tempering spices in coconut oil
- • Extracting fresh coconut milk
- • Balancing curry flavors (heat, sour, sweet)
- • Cooking rice to perfect texture
- • Making sambols and chutneys
Cultural Insights
- • Sri Lankan spice trade history
- • Regional curry variations
- • Meal customs and etiquette
- • Ayurvedic food principles
- • Sustainable spice farming
- • Take-home recipes and tips
- Hotel pickup & drop-off
- Guided spice garden tour
- Hands-on cooking class
- Full lunch (your cooked meal)
- All ingredients & equipment
- Recipe booklet
- Herbal tea tasting
- Apron & cooking certificate
- • Spice purchases (optional)
- • Ayurvedic products (optional)
- • Personal expenses
- • Tips for guide & chef
Spice Up Your Sri Lankan Adventure!
Book this culinary journey and bring authentic flavors home