Dark, glossy, slow-cooked onions caramelized with chili, Maldive fish, tamarind, and a touch of sugar until jammy and sweet-spicy — a luxurious relish piled into hoppers or spread on bread.
Ingredients
500g red onions, thinly sliced
3 tbsp coconut oil
2 tbsp Maldive fish flakes
2 tbsp chili flakes
1 tsp chili powder
1 cinnamon stick
5 cardamom pods, crushed
5 cloves
10 curry leaves
1 tbsp tamarind paste
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 sprig pandan leaf
Instructions
1Heat coconut oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Add cinnamon stick, cardamom, cloves, and curry leaves. Fry for 30 seconds until fragrant.
2Add sliced onions and pandan leaf. Cook on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 20-25 minutes until onions are deeply caramelized and dark.
3Add Maldive fish flakes, chili flakes, and chili powder. Stir for 2 minutes.
4Add tamarind paste, sugar, and salt. Cook for another 5-10 minutes until the mixture is dark, glossy, and jam-like.
5Remove whole spices and pandan leaf. Allow to cool slightly — seeni sambol thickens as it cools.
6Serve at room temperature. Stores well in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Did You Know?
The name "seeni" comes from the Portuguese word for sugar, reflecting the colonial influence on this dish — the Portuguese introduced sugar and chili to Sri Lanka in the 16th century.