Pol Sambol

About This Recipe

Pol sambol (coconut sambol) is the most universally eaten condiment in Sri Lanka — eaten at breakfast with hoppers and string hoppers, at lunch with rice and curries, and as a late-night snack with bread. It is arguably Sri Lanka's most important culinary export: simple to make, explosively flavorful, and utterly addictive. The combination of fresh coconut with the pungency of Maldive fish (dried tuna), the heat of chilies, the sharpness of red onion, and the brightness of lime creates a condiment unlike anything else. Making pol sambol by grinding everything in a traditional stone mortar is considered essential to the authentic flavor.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 200 gfreshly grated coconut(or desiccated coconut moistened with water)
• 1 smallred onion(finely diced)
• 3 wholedried red chilies(or 1 tsp chili flakes)
• 2 tbspMaldive fish (dried tuna flakes)(or 1 tsp fish sauce as substitute)
• 2 tbsplime juice
• 1/2 tspsalt

Instructions

1. 1

   Grind the spice base

   In a mortar or food processor, pound dried chilies and Maldive fish until broken down.

2. 2

   Add coconut and onion

   Add grated coconut, red onion, lime juice, and salt. Mix and pound together until everything is combined and the coconut has absorbed the chili color.

3. 3

   Taste and adjust

   Adjust lime juice, salt, and chili to balance. The sambol should be simultaneously coconutty, sour, spicy, and savory.

Variations

• •

  Add toasted curry leaves for extra aroma

• •

  Make 'seeni sambol' by caramelizing the onions with sugar and spices first

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Keeps 2 days refrigerated. Best eaten fresh as the coconut can ferment.

Frequently Asked Questions