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Host: Shahira

Galle, Sri Lanka

USD
$86-$96 per person

Sri Lankan biryani or string hopper cooking demonstration in Galle

Host offerings
  • House
  • Home cook
  • Pets
  • Vegetarian
  • Alcohol
  • Transportation
  • Cooking class
  • Market visit
  • Food tour

Meet Shahira

Shahira is the quintessential Sri Lankan mother of four beautiful children - an amazing cook, a skilled storyteller and a loving wife. Her family are fourth generation residents of Galle, and their ancestors are of Moorish and Persian descent having first arrived on the shores of Galle in the 16th century. They are one of the earliest traders of spice and colored stones to settle in the Fort. Shahira enjoys meeting people and it gives her immense joy to share her cooking with friends and family. She is constantly re-inventing herself in the kitchen and rarely creates the same dish again! Over the years she has become an expert in the kitchen and does not necessarily follow a recipe, but relies more on the senses - taste, smell and the look of food to know when it's cooked. Shahira is also an avid traveler and loves to re-create dishes that she tastes in restaurants on her travels!

What to expect

Please note menu might vary. If there are particular dishes you are interested in trying, please include your request in the booking form.

In-home meal: (2-10 guests) Shahira will welcome you into her cozy, open home with the warmest smile and a glass of fresh juice. After your cooking demonstration, sit at the dining table to savor a mouthwatering meal that you helped cook in her vibrant company! Your menu may include dishes such as biryani, chicken curry, peas and carrots cooked in coconut milk, cucumber salad served with a date and jaggery chutney, and yoghurt. You will conclude your meal with watalappam, a velvety pudding made from eggs and jaggery.

Cooking experience: (2-10 guests) During your 1.5 hour cooking demonstration you will learn to make either Muslim inspired Sri Lankan biryani or string hoppers along with a few curries. This is a cooking demonstration - you will watch Shahira prepare 3-4 dishes from scratch in an outdoor kitchen. Before you start your cooking demonstration, Shahira will introduce you to the different spices used in Sri Lankan cuisine and the dishes you will be preparing for the day. She will expertly take you through the entire cooking process, step by step, while preparing each course from scratch. You will be surprised by not only how simple and easy it is to make these dishes but also how fast. During the course of the demonstration Shahira will also share numerous simple kitchen secrets that are essential in the authentic preparation of any Sri Lankan meal.

Market visit: (2-10 guests) Meet Shahira at her home and drive five minutes to the Green market in Galle Town. On days that Shahira needs to prep her home first, Shehan, an equally passionate foodie will take you for your market tour. Green market is the oldest market in Galle, where you can find almost everything you need to cook a traditional Sri Lankan meal. This Dutch style market displays a variety of seasonal and local fruits and vegetables under a 300-year-old columned roof. Discover what the market has to sell as you learn about the ingredients used in Sri Lankan cooking before you go back to Shahira's home for your cooking demonstration.

Notes: Shahira can offer a vegetarian meal on request so please do let her know in advance when creating your booking request.

Languages spoken: English

Traveler reviews

3.0 (1)
As I said above, we were expecting a more private experience. We just feel a little misled about how it was portrayed on the site/email. We were given the incorrect time. We planned on a 2'“3 hour experience on our last day in Sri Lanka, and it ended up taking up 4.5 hours.
- January 09, 2019
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Shahira

$86-$96 USD

per person
100% VETTED
Learn more
  • 100% satisfaction guarantee or your money back
  • Credit card is not charged until the host confirms your booking
  • Private experience
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $86 $86
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $96 $96
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $86 $86
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $96 $96
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 11:00am-2:00pm 5:00pm-8:00pm
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 9:00am-1:00pm 4:00pm-8:00pm

Meet Shahira

Shahira is the quintessential Sri Lankan mother of four beautiful children - an amazing cook, a skilled storyteller and a loving wife. Her family are fourth generation residents of Galle, and their ancestors are of Moorish and Persian descent having first arrived on the shores of Galle in the 16th century. They are one of the earliest traders of spice and colored stones to settle in the Fort. Shahira enjoys meeting people and it gives her immense joy to share her cooking with friends and family. She is constantly re-inventing herself in the kitchen and rarely creates the same dish again! Over the years she has become an expert in the kitchen and does not necessarily follow a recipe, but relies more on the senses - taste, smell and the look of food to know when it's cooked. Shahira is also an avid traveler and loves to re-create dishes that she tastes in restaurants on her travels!

What to expect

Please note menu might vary. If there are particular dishes you are interested in trying, please include your request in the booking form.

In-home meal: (2-10 guests) Shahira will welcome you into her cozy, open home with the warmest smile and a glass of fresh juice. After your cooking demonstration, sit at the dining table to savor a mouthwatering meal that you helped cook in her vibrant company! Your menu may include dishes such as biryani, chicken curry, peas and carrots cooked in coconut milk, cucumber salad served with a date and jaggery chutney, and yoghurt. You will conclude your meal with watalappam, a velvety pudding made from eggs and jaggery.

Cooking experience: (2-10 guests) During your 1.5 hour cooking demonstration you will learn to make either Muslim inspired Sri Lankan biryani or string hoppers along with a few curries. This is a cooking demonstration - you will watch Shahira prepare 3-4 dishes from scratch in an outdoor kitchen. Before you start your cooking demonstration, Shahira will introduce you to the different spices used in Sri Lankan cuisine and the dishes you will be preparing for the day. She will expertly take you through the entire cooking process, step by step, while preparing each course from scratch. You will be surprised by not only how simple and easy it is to make these dishes but also how fast. During the course of the demonstration Shahira will also share numerous simple kitchen secrets that are essential in the authentic preparation of any Sri Lankan meal.

Market visit: (2-10 guests) Meet Shahira at her home and drive five minutes to the Green market in Galle Town. On days that Shahira needs to prep her home first, Shehan, an equally passionate foodie will take you for your market tour. Green market is the oldest market in Galle, where you can find almost everything you need to cook a traditional Sri Lankan meal. This Dutch style market displays a variety of seasonal and local fruits and vegetables under a 300-year-old columned roof. Discover what the market has to sell as you learn about the ingredients used in Sri Lankan cooking before you go back to Shahira's home for your cooking demonstration.

Notes: Shahira can offer a vegetarian meal on request so please do let her know in advance when creating your booking request.

Languages spoken: English

Traveler reviews

3.0 (1)
As I said above, we were expecting a more private experience. We just feel a little misled about how it was portrayed on the site/email. We were given the incorrect time. We planned on a 2'“3 hour experience on our last day in Sri Lanka, and it ended up taking up 4.5 hours.
- January 09, 2019
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $86 $86
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $96 $96
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $86 $86
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $96 $96
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 11:00am-2:00pm 5:00pm-8:00pm
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 9:00am-1:00pm 4:00pm-8:00pm
ABOUT TRAVELING SPOON

Traveling Spoon connects you with meaningful culinary experiences, from private cooking lessons to homecooked meals in people's homes. Enjoy an immersive cultural experience that gives you a glimpse into the local way of life.

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    If you have a question for your host, you can include a note in the field "Write a note to your host" during the booking process. Once your booking is confirmed, you will be emailed your host's direct contact information and you will also be able to message the host through your profile. You can always cancel your booking and receive a full refund 48 hours or more before your experience. If you have other questions you can also email us at reservations@travelingspoon.com.

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    Some hosts offer alcohol as an optional add-on for travelers who are of legal drinking age. Pricing for alcohol is visible on the host profile page and includes one to two glasses of wine, beer or local alcohol.

    Have a flight or other tour planned and can’t make the timing provided? If the timing listed on the host’s profile doesn’t work for you, our hosts can often accommodate timing changes. Because all of our experiences are private our hosts are happy to tailor experiences to meet your travel needs. Simply note your request in the booking process.

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    Hosts typically respond to booking inquiries within 72 hours. If for some reason you have not heard from your host or if you have any questions you can always contact us at reservations@travelingspoon.com.

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    Some hosts offer transportation as an optional add-on for travelers. Typically this is round trip transportation with pick up and drop off at your hotel. Pricing is quoted per car. Specific instructions for transportation will be provided in your confirmation details when your booking is confirmed.

    Many of our hosts accommodate solo travelers. You can see if a host accepts solo travelers by looking at the traveler range found next to the experience descriptions on the host profile (indicated by the numbers in parentheses next to "In-home meal", "Cooking experience" and "Market visit").

    Most of our Traveling Spoon experiences are incredibly family friendly and can accommodate infants and children. If a host is unable to accommodate children that will be noted in the “Notes” section of their profile. Our child pricing policy is children aged 5-11 are 50% off, and infants aged 0-4 are free.