Pol Sambol is a relish from Sri Lanka made of fresh coconut, dried chili pepper, Asian shallots, salt and lime juice. This no-cook, vegetarian dish can be eaten at any time of day and is a staple in many Sri Lankan households.
Easy to make in just ten minutes, Pol Sambol is often paired with dishes such as Idiyappam (string hoppers), plain rice, or different kinds of curry, with lentil and dry fish curry being known to complement one another.
Pol Sambol recipes remain largely the same across Sri Lanka, although the quality of ingredients is believed to change the taste of the final product. It is recommended to use the freshest ingredients available. Many people in Sri Lanka will shred their own coconuts, crush their own dried chilis and squeeze their own lime juice. However, if you do not have the time or ingredients, you can buy store-bought substitutes instead.
The spice in this dish comes from the chili peppers and mixes with the fatty shredded coconut to create a tangy and versatile condiment. You can easily adjust the spice of this recipe by increasing or decreasing the amount of chili.
Origin & Cultural Significance
While Pol Sambol has not managed to take the spot of Sri Lanka’s national food, it is regarded by many as an unofficial national dish due to its popularity and ubiquity in many Sri Lankan meals. Sri Lanka’s climate and coastline leave coconut a staple crop, which traditional Pol Sambol recipes take advantage of with their use of fresh coconut.
Recently, Pol Sambol has begun to go through cultural fusion as well. A variation of the dish, known as White Pol Sambol, utilizes the South American habanero pepper either instead of or in addition to chili peppers.
Sri Lankan Pol Sambol Recipe
Pol Sambol is a relish from Sri Lanka made of fresh coconut, dried chili pepper, Asian shallots, salt and lime juice. This no-cook, vegetarian dish can be eaten at any time of day and is a staple in many Sri Lankan households.
Ingredients
- Fresh shredded coconut - 1 cup
- Asian shallots, chopped - 3
- Dried red chili - 8
- Salt - to taste
- Lime juice - 1-2 tsp
Instructions
- Prepare your ingredients. Chop your shallots and grind red chili and salt together into flakes. If not using whole red chilis, you can use 2 tsp of chili flakes.
- Add chili flakes and salt to your mortar and pestle and grind until it becomes a coarse powder.
- Add the chopped shallots and grind more, until a coarse paste. Make sure you do not over-grind the onion, as they will become bitter, and give your Pol Sambol a bitter and slightly astringent taste.
- Add in shredded coconut and pound with the pestle until ingredients are well mixed.
- Keep grinding until there are no white coconut pieces left. Add your lime juice and taste test. Adjust amounts of salt and lime juice according to preference.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 3 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1671Total Fat: 99gSaturated Fat: 36gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 38gCholesterol: 269mgSodium: 5541mgCarbohydrates: 100gFiber: 11gSugar: 28gProtein: 98g