Deviled dishes are Sri Lanka’s answer to takeout, a Chinese-influenced stir-fry that the island has made completely its own. Everything from chicken to cuttlefish gets the treatment, quick-fried, then tossed in a sticky sauce of ketchup, soy, and chili with onions and peppers. It is the dish ordered at every roadside bistro, and it is one of the fastest things in a Sri Lankan kitchen. The name comes from the British-era deviled tradition of cooking with chili, and every bistro has its own twist on the sauce.
Sticky, sweet, and seriously spicy
The chicken comes out with crisp, caramelized edges, and the sauce is glossy and clinging, balancing ketchup sweetness against vinegar tang and real heat from green chilies. It is fast, forgiving, and endlessly adjustable, and while it is superb with rice, it does not need a side to be a complete meal. Serve it hot with a lime wedge to cut the richness, and it comes together faster than takeout delivery.
Craving more? Explore all Sri Lankan Kitchen recipes.
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