Sri Lankan Seeni Sambol (Sweet Caramelized Onion Relish)

About This Recipe

Sri Lankan Seeni Sambol is a real, traditional Sri Lankan dish, known as Sweet Caramelized Onion Relish. Onions slow-cooked with tamarind, chili and Maldive fish into a sweet, tangy, deeply savory relish, a beloved condiment across Sri Lanka.\n\nSeeni sambol, meaning 'sugar sambol', developed as a way to preserve onions through slow caramelization combined with tamarind's sourness and dried fish's umami, becoming an essential condiment for rice and curry meals as well as a popular bread filling.\n\nThe result is a dish worth making on its own merits: it rewards patience with the technique and delivers real, specific flavor rooted in Sri Lankan home cooking, not a generic stand-in for a search term.

Ingredients

Serves 10

• 1 kgyellow onions(thinly sliced)
• 4 tbspneutral oil
• 2 tbspdried Maldive fish flakes or dried shrimp(optional)
• 1 tbspchili flakes
• 10curry leaves
• 1 tbsptamarind paste
• 3 tbspsugar or jaggery
• 1 tspfine sea salt(to taste)

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the onions

   Heat oil in a wide pan and cook the sliced onions over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 30 to 35 minutes until deeply caramelized and soft.

2. 2

   Add flavorings

   Stir in Maldive fish flakes if using, chili flakes and curry leaves, cooking for 5 minutes.

3. 3

   Add tamarind and sugar

   Stir in tamarind paste and sugar, mixing well.

4. 4

   Simmer

   Continue cooking over low heat for another 15 minutes until the mixture is thick, jammy and deeply glossy.

5. 5

   Season

   Season with salt to taste.

6. 6

   Cool and serve

   Let cool, then serve at room temperature as a condiment with rice, bread or roti.

Variations

• •

  A version without Maldive fish makes a fully vegetarian seeni sambol.

• •

  Some households add a bit of extra chili for a spicier version.

• •

  Use it as a sandwich filling with bread, a very popular way to enjoy seeni sambol on its own.

Storage

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of water or stock to loosen the texture.

Frequently Asked Questions