Seeni Sambal / Caramelized Onion Relish
Seeni Sambal or as some people call it sambol: is a very famous Caramelized onion relish that the Sri lankan cuisine boasts. It is a versatile dish; that has a combination of sweetness, sourness and spiciness all included in one dish. It can be enjoyed as a side with a Toast, or a Coconut Roti; or with some warm Rice. If you fancy it: you can even have it on your Burger too.
![Coconut roti and Seeni sambal(Caramelized onion relish) on a table with Ceylon black tea.](https://www.questserendipity.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/20200424_182839-01.jpg)
Whether you have too much onion lying around in your pantry, or you want to get creative with your condiments for the upcoming grilling season: I have you covered.
The Ingredients are pretty basic at a glance. You might already have most of them at home; but there is one key ingredient that may be a bit hard to find. That is the main sour enhancer for the dish: Goraka (dried Brindle berry). If you do not have that wonder at hand, you can use Tamarind instead. You will only need to make a little paste out of either one, but a little extra will make the relish a tangy-special.
![Ingredients on a table: Sliced onion,Chili flakes,cinnamon,cloves,cardamom,pandan leaf,curry leaves, Brindle berry paste.](https://www.questserendipity.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/20200424_164624-01.jpg)
Traditionally, this dish calls for dried Maldive fish (cured Tuna). But, today I am sharing a vegan version of the Seeni sambal. But if you have some dried Maldive fish handy, simply add it with the onion mixture while cooking, and you will have a flavor of the sea in your dish.
![Bowl of Seeni sambol with wooden spoon on a table.](https://www.questserendipity.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/20200424_174044_HDR-01.jpg)
Seeni Sambal / Caramelized Onion Relish
Serves 6-8 | Prep Time 15 mins | Cook time 30 mins
Ingredients:
- 10 medium size Onions
- 2 tablespoon dried Chili flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon Cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon Cardamom pods
- 1 inch Cinnamon stick
- 1/4 cup Goraka (or Tamarind) paste
- 5 Curry leaves
- 1 inch Pandan Leaf
- 2 tablespoon Oil
- 1-2 tablespoon Sugar
- Salt to taste
Method:
- Soak the Goraka (or Tamarind) in water, make a paste and set aside.
- Slice the Onion into thin slices and mix the salt, Goraka (or Tamarind) paste and keep aside.
- In a non-stick pan: heat the oil.
- Add Cloves, Caradamom, Cinnamon, Curry leaves, Pandan leaf into the oil and saute for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the Onion mixture to the oil and mix well. Cover and cook for 5-10 minutes while stirring in between.
- When the Onions turns shiny and translucent: add the Chili flakes and mix well until all ingredients incorporate.
- Once the Onion starts turning to a darker color, add Sugar, and Salt to your taste.
Notes:
- Slicing the onion thin is a key here, as this will enable even cooking of the Onion.
- To make the Goraka or Tamarind paste, soak them in lukewarm water and squish it up with your hand to get all the pulp dissolved.
- If you use Tamarind for this: the end result will be more of a brown colored relish; if you use Goraka, the relish is going to be a dark brown.
- Feel free to adjust Sugar and Chili flakes based on how intense you want the relish to taste.