What are Sri Lankan short eats?

Sri Lankan “short eats” are a range of bite-sized, savoury snacks, usually deep-fried or baked, like vegetable rotis, crumbed fish cutlets, meat patties, and stuffed pastries. People treat them as the go-to on-the-go street food and also a tea-time habit.

The phrase “short eats” is a distinctive slice of Sri Lankan English; it points to the huge collection of portable, savoury baked treats that you see lined up in glass display cases at neighbourhood bakeries and cafes all over the island. A typical short-eat set might show crumbed and fried fish rolls, wedge-shaped vegetable rotis, spicy lentil patties (vadai), and little sausage buns. They are very inexpensive, packed with black pepper and green chillies, and they function as the ideal quick meal to start your morning or a fast afternoon lift while moving between places by train or bus.