| Pol sambol | |
| Alternate Name: | Pol sambol, thengai sambal, coconut sambol |
| Country: | Sri Lanka |
| Course: | Condiments |
| Served: | Room temperature |
| Main Ingredient: | coconut, red onion, chillies, salt, lime/lemon |
| Variations: | Maldives fish |
Pol sambol (Sinhala; Sinhalese: පොල් සම්බෝල), or thenkai sambal (Tamil: தேங்காய் சம்பல்), is a traditional Sri Lankan dish made from coconut, mostly used as an accompaniment with rice, string hoppers, hoppers and curries.[1] It is a coconut relish, consisting of freshly grated coconut, shallots, dried whole chilies or chili powder, lime juice, and salt.[2] [3]
Traditionally the ingredients are ground on a rectangular block of granite with a granite rolling-pin, known as a miris gala (Sinhala; Sinhalese: මිරිස් ගල).[4] Alternatives include the use of Maldives fish (umbalakaḍa), a smoked and cured tuna, that is sold in chips or flakes.[5] [6] A variation can be made by sautéing the pol sambol in mustard seeds, curry leaves and sliced onion, which is called badapu pol sambol (sautéed pol sambol).