Cherry & Dennis Helper Habitat
Sri Lankan Pol Sambol
斯里蘭卡椰絲辣椒沙律
Recipe overview
Coconut absorbs lime, red onion and chilli for a fresh, gently spicy relish prepared with clean utensils and kept chilled.
01
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 200 g unsweetened desiccated coconut
- 120 g red onion
- 2 fresh red chillies
- 2 limes
Coconut hydration
- 180 ml drinking water
Salad seasoning
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
02
Tools
- mixing bowl
- small saucepan
- fine sieve
- cutting board
- kitchen knife
- mortar and pestle
- citrus juicer
- clean spoon
03
Steps
Step 1
Inspect and store coconut
Reject coconut with musty odour, discolouration or clumps and refrigerate sealed after opening.
Step 2
Boil and cool water
Boil drinking water, transfer to a clean jug and cool until warm.
Step 3
Hydrate the coconut
Mix warm water gradually into coconut and rest for ten minutes to absorb evenly.
Step 4
Drain and squeeze gently
Tip into a fine sieve and press out excess water while keeping coconut loose.
Step 5
Wash and dry produce
Wash red onion, chillies and limes and dry them thoroughly.
Step 6
Slice red onion finely
Cut red onion into fine even slices for a balanced texture.
Step 7
Deseed and chop chilli
Remove some seeds to control heat and chop the chillies finely.
Step 8
Grind chilli and salt
Grind chilli, salt and black pepper to a coarse bright paste.
Step 9
Crush in the onion
Add onion and press gently until slightly softened and aromatic.
Step 10
Fold in coconut
Add hydrated coconut and fold until chilli and onion are evenly distributed.
Step 11
Add lime gradually
Mix in lime juice in stages, tasting with a clean spoon so the sambol stays moist, not watery.
Step 12
Rest chilled and serve
Cover and chill for ten minutes; eat within two hours or keep continuously refrigerated.
Common mistakes
- Using musty or discoloured coconut.
- Hydrating with unboiled water.
- Adding all lime juice at once.
- Leaving the salad warm for too long.
Tips
Refrigerate opened coconut as directed; hydrate with boiled cooled drinking water, cover the finished sambol and keep chilled.
