Pol Sambol (Coconut Relish)

Ingredients

• 1 small onion, roughly chopped
• 1 garlic clove, halved
• 1 medium tomato, cut into quarters
• 5 black peppercorns
• 1 green chilli, deseeded
• ¾ tsp chilli powder
• 5 fresh curry leaves
• 200g (7oz / 2 ½ cups) freshly grated or desiccated (shredded) coconut
• 1 tsp Maldive fish, crushed (optional)
• juice of ½ lime
• salt

Directions

1. Place the onion, garlic, tomato, black peppercorns, green chilli, chilli powder and curry leaves in a food processor and blitz until you have a fine paste.
2. Place the paste in a medium bowl and add the coconut, Maldive fish (if using) and mix well by hand. Then add the lime juice and salt to taste, mixing well. A few crushed curry leaves can be used as a garnish. Pictured left.