Sri Lankan Pol (Coconut) Sambol

A tangy-spicy fresh coconut relish made up of a flavourful blend of small red onions, whole green chilies, dried chilli flakes, chilli powder, lime juice, salt and sometimes even Maldives fish.

This Sri Lankan relish is traditionally made by grinding together all the ingredients on a rectangular block of granite with a granite rolling-pin, which is called a miris gala (chilli stone). Since I don't have access to one of these, I use a regular mortar and pestle. Even a large Mexican molcajete can be used to prepare this dish.

Across the island, Pol Sambol is traditionally made with umbalakaḍa or Maldives fish chip, which is a smoked and cured for tuna, sold in the form of chips or flakes. This adds an umami flavour to it. I leave this out as my husband does not like the taste of it. So if you're not a vegan or vegetarian, add about a tablespoon of the chips or flakes if you have some on hand.

My version of pol sambol incorporates tomato, whereas this is not a commonly used ingredient in this dish; but this is the way my family has made it always, so I follow it as well.

Other versions also include garlic and/or ginger. Some also leave out the fresh green chillies. 

Another method of uplifting the taste of this already delicious dish is to make it into what is locally called a badapu pol sambol or sautéed pol sambol. All you have to do is add a drop of coconut oil into a pan, toss in about a teaspoon of mustard seeds, a sprig or two of curry leaves and about 1 small sliced onion. Fry this up for a few seconds and then add in the prepared coconut sambol and stir-fry for about a minute or two. 

You can also check out the demo video on my Youtube Channel - https://youtu.be/J4gLGHNvyXo

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Ingredients:

2 cups freshly grated coconut
10 to 12 small red onions (shallots or sambar onions)
6 to 8 small green chillies
1/3 cup tomato, chopped
Juice of 1 lime
1 tbsp red chilli powder
2 tsbp red chilli flakes
Salt to taste

Method:

You can make it at once in a large mortar and pestle or prepare it by working in batches in a smaller mortar and pestle.

Add the green chillies, small red onions into a mortar.

Pound until well smashed.

Add the salt, chilli flakes and chilli powder.

Add the tomato and pound.

By this time all the ingredients should be well smashed together into a nice paste.

Now add the freshly grated coconut a little at a time and keep pounding.

With a spoon, keep mixing up the ingredients from time to time.

Squeeze in the lime juice.

Mix well with a spoon and then and keep pounding until well combined.

If using Maldives fish chips or flakes, you can add it now and pound for a few seconds.

Taste to check the salt and acid levels and adjust as required.

When it's done, it should have a lovely reddish/orange colour.

Pol sambol is traditionally used as an accompaniment with pol roti (coconut roti), string hoppers (idiyappam), hoppers (appam) and other dishes like rice and curry. 

PS: If you make any of my recipes, do tag me on Instagram as @MyFoodyChic and use the #MyFoodyChic hashtag. I really do love seeing your takes on my recipes!

XOXO, Jovanka