This onion sambal is fiery and addictive Sri Lankan dish that instantly wakes up any meal.
Why you’ll love this as a side to your meal
This spicy onion sambal is the kind of flavor that brings everything to life. It takes just minutes to make and pairs beautifully with almost anything on your plate. If you grew up with Sri Lankan flavors, this will taste like home.
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Ways to enjoy this sambal
This sambal is a flavor booster, so keep it close to dishes that need a little kick. It’s perfect with:
- Spread on toasts
- Top it on hotdogs or burgers
- Try it with any flatbreads, like… chapati or coconut roti would be my go-to
- Side to rice and curry meal
- Filling inside pastries
What to do with leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or untouched for 5 days. The flavors deepen as it sits, so it tastes even better the next day. If you’re planning to freeze, it should last upto 6months. Best to pack them in single portions for easy reheating.
Reheat it in the microwave or on stove top.
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Spicy Onion Sambal Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oil in a non‑stick pan over medium‑high heat.
- Add mustard seeds and let them pop.
- Add the sun‑dried red chili and curry leaves — they’ll sizzle and crisp.
- Add the sliced onions and tomatoes. Sauté for 8–10 minutes until the onions soften.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add turmeric, chili flakes, Kashmiri chili powder, salt, and Maldive fish (omit for a vegan version). Mix well.
- Continue cooking for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- If the onions start to dry out or stick, lower the heat and add 1 tbsp oil to help them cook evenly.
- The sambal is ready when the onions are soft, reduced in size, lightly caramelized, and the oil begins to separate around the edges.
Beyond The Basic Onion Sambal
While this recipe focuses simply on onions, adding a pre-cooked protein—towards the end of cooking the sambal—can make a huge different in its flavor, turning the onion sambal to an entire different dish. Here are some ideas to add…
- Raisins (Angella’s suggestion)
- Maldives fish
- Banana pepper
- Lime pickle
- Scrambled eggs
- Canned tuna
- Deep fried anchovies
- Pulled beef
- Shredded chicken
- Cooked mutton
If you decide to add any one of these suggestions above, you can add it towards the end of the onion sambal cooking, let it simmer few minutes with the sambal and take off the heat. Each version brings its own flavor twists and trust me—it’ll be finger-licking good.
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