Gotu kola sambol is the fresh, leafy salad that brings green and crunch to a Sri Lankan meal. Gotu kola (pennywort, Centella asiatica) is finely shredded and tossed raw with freshly grated coconut, lime, shallot and green chilli. It's light, tangy and slightly peppery, and it's long been eaten across the island as a health food — often for breakfast with rice and a curry. If you can't find gotu kola, watercress, baby spinach or rocket make a fine stand-in.
There's no cooking at all — the whole dish is about slicing the greens as finely as you can and dressing them just before serving so they stay crisp and bright.
Ingredients
- 3 cups gotu kola (pennywort) leaves, washed and dried
- 1/2 cup freshly grated coconut
- 2 shallots (or 1/2 small red onion), finely sliced
- 1 green chilli, finely chopped
- 1 tomato, finely chopped, optional
- 1 1/2 tbsp lime juice
- 1/2 tsp salt, to taste
- Pinch of black pepper
- 1/2 tsp Maldive fish flakes, optional
Method
- Strip the gotu kola leaves and tender stems from any tough stalks. Stack, roll and slice as finely as you can into thin shreds.
- Put the shredded greens in a bowl with the grated coconut, shallots, green chilli and tomato (if using).
- Add the lime juice, salt, pepper and Maldive fish flakes (if using).
- Toss everything together gently with your fingers or a spoon until well combined and the coconut is evenly distributed.
- Taste and adjust lime and salt — it should be fresh, tangy and lightly salted.
- Serve immediately, while crisp, as a side with rice and curry, or with kiribath.
Cook's notes
- Slice the greens as finely as possible — fine shreds make the sambol light and easy to eat.
- Dress it right before serving so the greens stay crisp and don't wilt.
- No gotu kola? Watercress, baby spinach or rocket work well as substitutes.
Good to know