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Gotu kola sambol
Pennywort and coconut salad
Gotu kola mallum/sambol: shredded pennywort leaves with shallot, tomato, coconut and lime
Gotu kola (Asiatic pennywort) grows wild along the paddy edges in the south and centre of Sri Lanka, and a raw sambol of its leaves is the green, slightly bitter bite that balances a rice-and-curry lunch. Families in Galle and Matara will tell you it is good for the memory, and it is often served at the start of a meal or with kola kenda, the herbal porridge. The leaves are shredded as finely as possible, then tossed with shallot, tomato, green chilli, a little fresh coconut and plenty of lime, so it's crunchy, peppery and bright. Look for pennywort bunches in Sri Lankan, Thai and Vietnamese shops. The mistake to avoid is dressing it too early: the salt and lime wilt the leaves within half an hour. Chef's tip: roll a stack of leaves into a tight cigar and slice it hair-thin with a sharp knife; the finer the shreds, the better it tastes.
- Total time
- 15 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 3 ½ oz gotu kola (pennywort) leavesabout 2 bunches, leaves and tender stems
- 3 shallotsfinely chopped
- 1 tomatoseeded and finely diced
- 1 green chillifinely chopped
- 1 ⅜ oz freshly grated coconutfresh or thawed frozen
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Wash 3 ½ oz gotu kola (pennywort) leaves in a large bowl of cold water, lift it out, and repeat until no grit settles at the bottom. Spin or pat completely dry; wet leaves make the sambol soggy.
Step 2: Pick off any thick or yellow stems. Stack a handful of leaves, roll them tightly and slice across as finely as you can, then chop through once more. Repeat with the rest.
8 minStep 3: In a bowl, mix 3 shallots, 1 green chilli, ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp ground black pepper and squeeze them together for a few seconds to release their juice.
Step 4: Add the shredded leaves, 1 tomato and 1 ⅜ oz freshly grated coconut and toss lightly with your fingers until evenly mixed.
Step 5: Pour over 2 tbsp lime juice just before serving, toss again and taste: it should be sharp, fresh and a little bitter. Serve within 20 minutes with rice, parippu and a curry.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 60 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 5 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does gotu kola sambol take?
- About 15 minutes in total.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of shallots?
- Half an onion per 2 shallots.
- What can I use instead of tomato?
- Tinned chopped tomatoes: a 400g tin for about 6 tomatoes (in cooked dishes, not salads).
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