15 mins | Vegan | easy | Spicy
Pol sambol is a traditional coconut side dish typically made spicy and can be eaten with any course. It is incredibly simple to make and was actually the first dish my mum taught me to cook. It has always been a staple in my house growing up and complemented any other dish my mum whipped up. It is an easy grated coconut based dish that can be tossed together in about 15 mins to add a little bit of flare to a main meal. And best of all, it’s a dish that is less than 10$!
Growing up, I remember my mum used to make sambol sandwiches for my sister and I to take to school. Made by toasting fresh bread, with a thick layer of butter and a generous amount of sambol spread evenly. It was a colorful sandwich that caught the attention of my entire class everytime I brought it to school. It’s also a dish that is served at every Sri Lankan New Year meal. My favourite was to stack my plate of at least 4 biterah apps and a mountain of sambol to celebrate the occasion.
Traditional sambol is made by combining strong chili flavours and the saltiness from Maldive Fish chips. These chips, essentially flakes of dried, cured tuna, pack a distinct umami punch, akin to shrimp paste or dried anchovies. Just a sprinkle of these flakes elevates the dish with saltiness and depth, making it downright addictive.
You can easily snag Maldive fish chips at your local South Asian grocery store for under $10. A single jar will last you a good while and can enhance a variety of dishes. If you want to skip a trip to the grocery store you can snag a bag of fish chips here for a little bit more money!
However, if you’re keen on keeping your meal entirely vegan, feel free to skip the chips. Sambol packs more than enough flavour to stand on its own, delivering a scrumptiously spicy experience even without this ingredient.
TIPS & TRICKS
Tip 1: To save on extra time, purchase frozen coconut from your local asian grocery store. It tastes the exact same and takes away the hassle of finding a good coconut and of course, grating the coconut. But hey, if you’re all about that super fresh taste, go ahead and use fresh coconut. You can snag a coconut scraper from your local grocery store or hop on Amazon to get one delivered straight to your door!
Tip 2: If you don’t have curry leaves, as they are sometimes hard to find in your local grocery store, you can use dried bay leaves instead.
Tip 3: This dish is intended to be spicy, however you can easily lessen the amount of spices and use less chili pepper if you prefer a less spicy taste. However, the less chilli pepper you use the less bright orange the dish will be.
Tip 4: Store in fridge can be stored for about a week.
CAN YOU MAKE IT VEGAN?
This flavourful spicy dish can easily be made vegan! Simply take out the Maldive Fish chips and enjoy the equally flavourful coconut dish.
Pol Sambol | Coconut Sambol
Description
An easy and vegan friendly dish, packed with so much heat to liven up some plain old white rice! All you need is some shredded coconut and a few simple spices and your on your way to have an addicting coconut sambol!
Ingredients
Instructions
- If using a fresh coconut, scrap the coconut with the coconut scraper. If using frozen coconut, leave the packet out a few hours before cooking to let it thaw and become soft.
- Dice the red onion, green chili, and curry leaves finely.
- Heat the oil in the frying pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the diced red onion, green chili, and curry leaves.
- Once fragrant, add the shredded coconut.
- Blend all the spices together and tweak the chili flakes and powder to dial down the heat if that’s more your style. Toss in the salt, pepper, and Maldive fish chips—or skip the chips if you’re going the vegan route.
- Once everything mixes and the sambol has become a vibrant orange color, remove the pan from heat.
- Let the sambol cool for at least 5mins and squeeze a whole lime into it.
