How to make Village style Kotta Pol Sambol
Sri Lankans know that they will always have a place for Pol Sambol wherever they are. In this recipe, we're using a ripened Coconut to make a special traditional Kotta Pol Sambol and a tempered Kotta Pol Sambol.
When you shake a Coconut, normally you hear the Coconut Water that is inside moving around. When a Coconut ripens, the Coconut Meat inside becomes thick and hardened. All of the the Coconut Water is dried. It has a very high fat content.
Our ancestors would never throw away a ripened Coconut when it falls from the tree. They would take the ripened Coconut and dry it by smoking it. After smoking it, they would make Coconut Oil out of it. The ripened Coconut Meat would also be used as an ayurvedic ingredient.
There is even a very old Sri Lankan poem for this where you take the oil from the ripened Coconut and go to Adam's Peak in Sri Lanka. The meaning behind this poem is that ripened Coconut was considered high value. Our ancestors would go to Adam's Peak and pour this Coconut Oil into a special lamp (called dolos mahe pahana).
Try my other Sambol recipes like Kesel Muwa Seeni Sambol and my Umbalakada Sambol in 10 minutes.
Ingredients
For the Traditional Kotta Pol Sambol
- 1 ripened Coconut
- Some Peppercorn
- 2 tbsp Chili Flakes (adjust to your spice tolerance)
- Salt
- Handful of Shallots
- Juice from a Lemon (when serving)
For the Tempered Kotta Pol Sambol
- Some sliced Onions
- 2 crushed Garlic Cloves
- 2 dried Chilies broken into smaller pieces by hand
- Some Mustard Seeds
- Some Curry Leaves
- Kotta Pol Sambol (you can prepare it traditionally like this recipe)
Instructions
For the Traditional Kotta Pol Sambol
- Take the hardened Coconut Meat from a ripened Coconut and cut it into small thin pieces.
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Add the pieces to a blender and blend it.
- Add the blended Coconut mixture into a bowl.
- Add some Peppercorn to the blender.
- Add 2 tbsp of Chili Flakes (adjust to your spice tolerance).
- Add Salt to taste.
- Handful of Shallots with the peel removed.
- Add 3 tbsp of the Coconut mixture.
- Blended it thoroughly.
- Add the blended mixture into the Coconut mixture.
- Mix everything together thoroughly by hand.
For the Tempered Kotta Pol Sambol
- Heat some Oil in a saucepan.
- Add some sliced Onions.
- Add 2 crushed Garlic Cloves.
- Add 2 dried Chilies broken into smaller pieces by hand.
- Lightly fry everything.
- Add some Mustard Seeds.
- Keep frying for 2 more minutes while stirring occasionally.
- Add some Curry Leaves.
- Now add some of the Kotta Pol Sambol (you can prepare it traditionally like this recipe).
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