Seeni Sambol
Seeni sambol, sweet onion sambol, is the sticky relish that anchors a Sri Lankan breakfast and turns up alongside rice all day. The name points to sugar, and the usual recipe carries plenty of it plus dried fish and oil. Here the sweetness comes from Medjool dates and, more than that, from onions browned slowly in their own moisture until they turn deep and caramel. Tamarind and vinegar keep it sharp. Spread it thin: it is intense by design.
Ingredients
- 4 Red onions, halved and thinly sliced
- 4 cloves Garlic, sliced
- 1 tbsp Ginger, grated
- 15 Curry leaves
- 1 leaf Pandan leaf, knotted, 3-inch (7.5 cm) piece
- 1 stick Ceylon cinnamon, 2-inch (5 cm) piece
- 3 pods Green cardamom, crushed
- 3 Cloves
- 1 tbsp Kashmiri chile, ground
- 1/2 tsp Cayenne
- 1 tbsp Tamarind paste
- 4 Medjool dates, pitted
- 1 tbsp Apple cider vinegar
Method
- Blend the dates with 3 tablespoons (45 ml) water into a smooth paste and set aside. This replaces the sugar or jaggery a seeni sambol is usually built on.
- Put the sliced onions in a wide pan over medium heat with 0.25 cup (60 ml) water. Cook, stirring often, until the water cooks off and the onions begin to stick and brown, about 15 minutes.
- Keep going, lowering the heat, and deglaze with a splash of water each time the pan browns, scraping up the color into the onions. After another 12 to 15 minutes they will be deep brown, soft, and sweet. This long, slow browning is the whole dish, so do not hurry it.
- Add the garlic, ginger, curry leaves, knotted pandan, cinnamon, crushed cardamom, and cloves. Cook 2 minutes, until fragrant.
- Stir in the ground Kashmiri chile and cayenne, then the tamarind, date paste, and vinegar. Cook 3 to 4 minutes more, until the sambol is thick, dark, and jammy enough to hold its shape on a spoon.
- Fish out the pandan and cinnamon. Taste: it should read sweet, sour, and hot at once. Traditional versions lean on Maldive fish and salt for depth; the slow-browned onions and tamarind carry it here. Cool before serving. It keeps a week in the fridge.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving: 70 calories, 1 g protein, 2 g fiber, 15 mg sodium. Computed from USDA FoodData Central reference values for the main ingredients. This is an approximation, not a laboratory measurement. How these are computed.
Cost per serving is estimated from US national-average retail prices for cheap staple forms, using BLS dried-bean prices and USDA produce prices. Prices vary by store and season, so treat it as a guide, not a receipt. How this is computed.
