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Seeni sambol
Caramelised onion relish
සීනි සම්බෝල (seeni sambol): slow-cooked, jammy red onion relish with chilli, tamarind and a touch of sugar
Seeni means sugar in Sinhala, yet this dark, sticky relish is as much about chilli and sour tamarind as it is about sweetness. A whole kilo of red onions cooks down to a couple of jars' worth, and in Colombo it turns up everywhere: stuffed into soft bakery buns, spooned into plain hoppers, layered on kiri bath at New Year and folded into the lamprais parcel. Most households pound a handful of Maldive fish flakes into it for a smoky, savoury depth; this version leaves the fish out so it is fully vegan, and the long, patient browning gives it plenty of body anyway. Heat is the thing people get wrong: onions pushed on a high flame scorch at the edges before they ever turn sweet, so keep the pan at medium-low and give it time. Chef's tip: slice the onions as evenly as you can, about 3 mm thick, so they collapse at the same rate and the sambol ends up glossy rather than half-crisp, half-raw.
- Total time
- 65 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
For the sambol
- 4 tbsp coconut oil
- 5 cm piece cinnamon stick
- 4 pods green cardamomlightly crushed
- 4 cloves
- 2 sprigs curry leavesleaves picked
- 5 cm piece pandan leaf (optional)
- 2 ¼ lb red onionshalved and thinly sliced
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp dried chilli flakes
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- ⅔ oz tamarind pulpsoaked in 80 ml warm water, then squeezed and strained
- 2 tbsp sugar
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Heat 4 tbsp coconut oil in a wide, heavy pan over a medium heat and add 5 cm piece cinnamon stick, 4 pods green cardamom and 4 cloves; stir for 30 seconds until fragrant.
1 minStep 2: Add 2 sprigs curry leaves and 5 cm piece pandan leaf and let them crackle for a few seconds.
1 minStep 3: Tip in 2 ¼ lb red onions and 1 tsp salt, stir well to coat, and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring now and then, until the onions are soft and have fallen to half their volume.
15 minStep 4: Turn the heat down to medium-low and keep cooking for 20–25 minutes, stirring often and scraping the bottom, until the onions are an even deep brown and jammy.
25 minStep 5: Stir in 2 tbsp dried chilli flakes and 1 tsp red chilli powder and cook for 2 minutes until the oil turns red.
2 minStep 6: Add the strained ⅔ oz tamarind pulp water and 2 tbsp sugar and cook, stirring, for 6–8 minutes until the liquid has gone, the sambol looks glossy and the oil starts to separate at the edges.
8 minStep 7: Taste and balance with a little more salt, sugar or chilli. Pick out the whole spices if you like, cool completely and keep in a clean jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 120 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 16 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does seeni sambol take?
- About 65 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 50 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 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.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of cinnamon stick?
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon per stick.
- What can I use instead of cloves?
- Ground cloves, ¼ tsp for every 3 whole cloves.
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