Local Drinks

1. තේ

   thē

   Tea

   Usage

   The drink at the centre of the country. It comes heavily sweetened unless you say otherwise when ordering

2. කිරි තේ

   kiri thē

   Milk tea

   Usage

   Strong tea with powdered milk and plenty of sugar — the most common drink in an ordinary eatery

3. කෝපි

   kōpi

   Coffee

   Usage

   In everyday shops this means instant coffee with milk and sugar. Far less common than tea

4. තැඹිලි

   thæmbili

   Thambili (orange king coconut)

   Usage

   The orange coconuts piled at roadside stalls, cut open in front of you. The same word also means the colour orange, so point at the fruit to be clear

5. කුරුම්බා

   kurumbā

   Kurumba (green drinking coconut)

   Usage

   The green counterpart to orange thambili. You drink the water, then eat the soft white flesh inside

6. පොල් වතුර

   pol vathura

   Coconut water

   Usage

   The general term for the water inside a coconut — useful for checking what a stall is actually selling

7. පලතුරු යුෂ

   palathuru yuṣa

   Fruit juice

   Usage

   Usually pressed to order. Whether ice or water goes in varies by shop, so ask first if that matters to you

8. කොත්තමල්ලි

   koththamalli

   Koththamalli (coriander infusion)

   Usage

   The household infusion drunk at the first sign of a cold. The same word is also the spice coriander, so point at a cup if you want the drink

9. කොළ කැඳ

   koḷa kænda

   Kola kanda (drinkable herbal green porridge)

   Usage

   Herb juice and rice thinned with coconut milk, poured into a cup at morning stalls. Sipped with a nibble of jaggery

10. ගොටුකොළ කැඳ

    goṭukoḷa kænda

    Gotukola kanda (pennywort herbal porridge)

    Usage

    The most common kind of kola kanda — deep green, with a grassy smell

11. තේ දළු

    thē daḷu

    Tea leaf

    Usage

    The word to use when buying tea to take home. Flavour varies by elevation and grade, so ask for a tasting in the shop

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