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Get a taste of Sri Lanka in your own kitchen! This easy dish combines the unique flavour profile of pandan leaves with a creamy coconut sambal to evoke the the tropical warmth of this pear-shaped island nation.

You will need

Serves 2

  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil
  • 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 dried long red chillies
  • 8cm piece pandan leaf, cut into 2cm pieces (remove the stalk)
  • 1 teaspoon black mustard seed
  • 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 400g green cabbage, thinly sliced
  • Salt to taste

Coconut sambal

  • 3/4 cup desiccated coconut plus hot water
  • 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chilli powder
  • Pinch chilli flakes
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/4 red onion, diced
  • 1 lime, juice

For garnish

  • 1 long red chilli, finely sliced
  • 2 sprigs coriander, leaves picked

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Directions

15 mins to prep

15 mins to cook

  1. Step 1

    Add coconut oil to a hot pan over medium heat.

  2. Step 2

    Place onion, chilli and pandan leaf in the oil and fry until golden.

  3. Step 3

    Add the mustard seed, turmeric and fenugreek seeds and cook for 20 seconds with the ingredients.

  4. Step 4

    Add the cabbage and a pinch of salt and cook for 3 minutes

  5. Step 5

    Add 50ml of water and cook for 2 minutes with the lid off or until the cabbage has softened.

  6. Step 6

    For the coconut sambal blitz all of the ingredients until combined, except for the lime. Stir lime juice through. Place in a serving dish.

  7. Step 7

    Top the cabbage with red chilli sliced and coriander leaves, serve with sambal

Recipe: Simon Toohey

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