Cooking Class: Sajee’s Place Cooking Class sigiriya

Sri Lankan curry is best learned at the stove. Near Sigiriya, Sajee and his wife Suzy teach a hands-on rice and curry class where you prepare a full meal together, not simply watch a demonstration. The three-hour session covers dhal, chicken or fish curry, three vegetable curries, a stir-fried or tempered dish, coconut sambol, rice, and papadams.

I especially like the small-group format, limited to 10 people, and the way every person takes part in chopping, mixing, seasoning, and cooking. I also like the practical follow-through: Sajee sends PDF recipes and spice notes afterward, so the class has a life beyond your Sri Lankan holiday. The main consideration is that the session produces a large number of dishes, so you should expect a busy, food-focused three hours rather than a slow, single-recipe lesson.

The price is $36 per person. That is strong value for a meal, instruction, cultural conversation, and recipes you can use at home. If you have a food allergy, strict dietary requirement, or dislike several hours of cooking in a warm kitchen, contact Sajee and Suzy before booking.

Key Points at a Glance

• Seven or more dishes in one session: The menu commonly includes dhal, chicken or fish curry, three vegetable curries, a stir-fried or tempered dish, coconut sambol, rice, and papadams.
• Sajee and Suzy teach together: Sajee explains spices, ingredients, cooking methods, and food culture while Suzy helps guide the practical work.
• Everyone cooks: You prepare the food yourself, with patient help rather than standing at the edge of a demonstration.
• Fresh coconut sambol: You may grate fresh coconut and turn it into one of Sri Lanka’s essential spicy accompaniments.
• Recipes arrive after class: PDF recipes and cooking tips make it easier to repeat the dishes at home.
• Flexible and accessible: The class lasts three hours, is taught in English, welcomes small groups of up to 10, and is listed as wheelchair accessible.

A Friendly Start with Sajee and Suzy

The class begins with a warm welcome from Sajee and Suzy, a husband-and-wife team who treat the session as a shared meal rather than a formal school lesson. That personal touch matters. You are not only learning how to combine coconut milk, lentils, vegetables, meat, fish, and spices. You are also learning how food fits into everyday Sri Lankan life.

Sajee leads much of the explanation, while Suzy helps with the cooking and keeps the group moving. The tone is patient and relaxed. Several people with little or no cooking experience found the instructions easy to follow, and couples, families, and teenagers all appear to fit comfortably into the class.

You should expect the teaching to be interactive from the beginning. Sajee explains what each herb and spice does, how spices differ between a curry and another type of dish, and how the same basic method can work with different vegetables, meat, or fish. This is useful information for a home cook because Sri Lankan cooking is often flexible rather than locked to one exact ingredient list.

The class is taught in English. If you want to ask plenty of questions, a smaller booking is especially helpful. On quieter days, you may have more time to ask about individual spices, substitutions, or cooking techniques.

Learning the Spice Cabinet Before You Cook

Sri Lankan food can look complicated on a menu, but much of its character comes from a clear set of building blocks. Sajee introduces the ingredients before the cooking gets underway, giving you a chance to understand what you are using rather than simply following orders.

That introduction is one of the strongest parts of the class. You learn how herbs, spices, vegetables, coconut, lentils, and other basic ingredients work together. The focus is not just on heat. Spice tolerance can be adjusted as you cook, so you can enjoy the food even if you are not used to strong chilli.

This is also where you begin to understand why Sri Lankan rice and curry is not one dish. It is a collection of smaller dishes with different textures and flavours. A creamy dhal, a dry vegetable preparation, a coconut sambol, and a meat or fish curry each play a different role on the plate.

I find this approach more useful than a class that teaches only one curry. Once you understand the general method, you can adapt it to ingredients available at home. That flexibility was a repeated strength of the experience, especially for people returning to countries where some Sri Lankan vegetables or spices may be harder to find.

Cooking the Rice and Curry Spread

The main work is preparing a broad Sri Lankan meal from scratch. The exact number of dishes can vary by session, but you can expect a substantial spread. The stated menu includes dhal curry, chicken or fish curry, three seasonal vegetable curries, one stir-fried or tempered dish, coconut sambol, rice, and papadams.

The vegetable curries are particularly useful for anyone who wants to eat less meat or recreate a Sri Lankan meal at home. Because the vegetables are seasonal, the selection may change. That is a good thing from a local cooking point of view, though it means you should not book expecting a fixed menu of named vegetables.

The dhal curry gives you a gentle, comforting base for the meal. It also shows how a few everyday ingredients can become something far more satisfying when the spices are handled well. The chicken or fish curry adds a different texture and a stronger centrepiece, while the vegetable dishes keep the plate varied.

You will also learn a stir-fried or tempered dish. Tempering is an important technique in South Asian cooking, often using heated oil and aromatics to add fragrance and texture. The class presents this as part of a complete meal, so you can see how a small dry dish balances wetter curries.

Papadams provide a crisp contrast. They may seem minor beside the curries, but that contrast is part of the pleasure of a Sri Lankan rice and curry plate. The meal works because no single dish has to do everything.

Making Coconut Sambol from Fresh Coconut

The coconut sambol is one of the most memorable parts of the session. The preparation can include freshly grated coconut, chilli, and other seasonings, creating a cool, spicy, slightly sharp accompaniment for the rice and curries.

Freshly grated coconut gives the sambol a texture and flavour that packaged coconut cannot quite match. It also turns a simple side dish into a small lesson in how Sri Lankan cooks use coconut in many forms, from curries to sambols.

This is the kind of detail that makes the class feel grounded in local food rather than built around a generic curry recipe. You are handling an ingredient that appears throughout Sri Lankan cooking, and you can see how it changes depending on the dish.

The sambol is also easy to adapt at home. You can adjust the chilli to suit your taste, and Sajee explains how ingredients may be changed for different kitchens. If you are collecting recipes to recreate after your holiday, this is likely to become one of the most useful.

Everyone Has a Job in the Kitchen

This is not a watch-and-eat demonstration. You help prepare the dishes and take part in the cooking, with Sajee and Suzy guiding each step. That makes the three hours pass quickly, particularly if you enjoy practical activities.

The class suits beginners because the teachers do not assume much prior skill. You can ask questions as you go, and the pace allows time to understand what you are doing. Experienced cooks should also find useful ideas in the explanations of spice balance, ingredient swaps, and cooking methods.

There is a small trade-off. Preparing seven or more dishes means that no single recipe receives the entire session. You learn a wide range of techniques, but you may not spend a long time refining one particular curry. I see this as a good bargain for most people, since the point is to understand a complete Sri Lankan meal.

Families can also make good use of the format. Teenagers have taken part and enjoyed the work, and the shared jobs give everyone something to do. The class is social without requiring you to be an expert cook.

Sitting Down to Eat What You Made

After the cooking, you sit down and eat the meal together. This is more than a reward for finishing the work. It gives you a chance to taste how the dishes fit together, compare textures, and notice the balance between spicy, creamy, crisp, dry, and fresh elements.

The quantity is generous. People regularly describe leaving full, which is worth remembering when planning the rest of your day. If you have a morning class, do not schedule a heavy lunch immediately afterward.

The final meal also helps you remember the methods. You can taste the dhal beside the vegetable curries, then try the sambol with rice and papadams. That connection between preparation and eating is often what turns a recipe into a skill.

The setting has also been praised for being pleasant, clean, and well arranged. One description refers to an open garden house among the trees, giving the cooking a more relaxed feel than a conventional indoor classroom. Exact surroundings can vary with weather and setup, but the overall experience is designed to feel personal and home-like.

What You Take Home Besides a Full Stomach

Sajee sends PDF recipes and tips after the class. This is a real advantage. Cooking several dishes in one sitting can leave you remembering the general flavour but forgetting the quantities or order of preparation by the time you return home.

The recipe files give you a practical reference for rebuilding the meal. Spice lists are also useful, especially if you want to stock a Sri Lankan-style pantry. You can use the notes to recreate the dishes as taught or adjust them for ingredients available in your own country.

The advice on substitutions is just as valuable as the recipes themselves. Sajee explains how dishes can change when you use different vegetables, meat, or fish. That means you are learning a method, not merely copying a fixed menu.

I would still recommend taking your own notes during the class. Write down which dishes you liked most, how hot you preferred them, and which ingredient combinations you want to repeat. The PDF is helpful, but your personal observations will make the recipes more useful later.

Value, Timing, and Group Size

At $36 per person, the class offers good value if you want more than a meal. You receive three hours of instruction, a large shared feast, access to a small group, cultural context, and take-home recipes. Eating a similar spread at a restaurant would not teach you how to make it, and a shorter demonstration would not give you the same practical experience.

The class is limited to 10 participants. That is large enough for a social atmosphere but small enough for Sajee and Suzy to provide individual help. If you prefer very close instruction, try to book on a quieter day or ask about the expected group size.

The duration is three hours, with starting times depending on availability. That makes it easy to fit around a Sigiriya visit, but you should leave enough space in your schedule. Cooking and eating seven or more dishes is not a quick stop between attractions.

The experience is listed as wheelchair accessible. If you have specific mobility needs, contact the hosts before booking so they can confirm that the arrangements suit you. Free unlimited bottled water is provided, which is a useful comfort during a warm cooking session.

Cancellation is flexible: you can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund, and you can reserve now and pay later. Those terms are useful if your Sigiriya plans may change.

Who Will Enjoy This Class Most

I would recommend Sajee’s Place to anyone who wants to understand Sri Lankan food rather than simply order it. It works particularly well for:

• Beginners who want calm instruction and clear steps
• Home cooks looking for adaptable curry recipes
• Couples seeking a shared activity near Sigiriya
• Families with older children or teenagers
• Vegetarians, provided you confirm the menu and preferences in advance
• Anyone curious about spices, coconut, dhal, and rice-based meals

You do not need to be a confident cook. The teachers are patient, and the work is shared across the group. You also do not need to be a serious food enthusiast. The class provides a friendly way to spend part of a day, and the meal at the end makes the activity worthwhile even if you rarely cook at home.

It may be less suitable if you want a polished restaurant-style demonstration with minimal participation. It is also not the best choice for someone who dislikes spicy food, though the chilli level can be adjusted. If you have allergies or dietary restrictions, ask about ingredient changes before you commit.

Should You Book Sajee’s Place?

Yes, if you have three hours to spare near Sigiriya and want a personal introduction to Sri Lankan cuisine. The combination of Sajee’s explanations, Suzy’s help, fresh ingredients, hands-on work, and a large final meal gives you much more than a standard cooking show.

Book it especially if you want to cook Sri Lankan food after returning home. The PDF recipes, spice guidance, and advice on substitutions make the experience useful long after your holiday ends.

Choose another activity only if you prefer sightseeing over cooking, need a very quiet single-recipe lesson, or have dietary needs that cannot be accommodated. For most food-loving visitors, $36 is a fair price for a warm, practical, and filling experience that brings Sri Lankan home cooking to life.

FAQ

How long does Sajee’s Place Cooking Class last?

The cooking class lasts three hours.

How much does the class cost?

The price is $36 per person.

What dishes will I learn to cook?

The class includes rice, dhal curry, chicken or fish curry, three vegetable curries, one stir-fried or tempered dish, coconut sambol, and papadams. The exact vegetables may be seasonal.

Is the class hands-on?

Yes. You take part in preparing and cooking the dishes rather than only watching the instructors.

Who teaches the class?

The class is taught by Sajee and his wife, Suzy.

What language is the class taught in?

Instruction is provided in English.

How many people can join the class?

It is a small-group class limited to 10 participants.

Do I receive the recipes afterward?

Yes. Sajee provides PDF recipes and cooking tips after the class so you can prepare the dishes at home.