A name that reflects its essence, a king-class presence. | Characteristics of Sri Lankan Curry #4

This is the key to the flavor

“Sri Lankan curry wouldn't be the same without this.”
Sri Lankans often use this expression when describing the coconut (coconut palm).

Among the approximately 2,600 species of palm plants, the coconut is highly valuable, used for a wide variety of purposes including cooking and crafts. In Sinhala, it is called “pol.”

The most common type of coconut in Sri Lanka is the king coconut which is native to the country. Because of the color of its outer skin, it is called “thambili,” derived from “thambili paata,” which refers to the color “orange” in Sinhala.

The coconuts used for cooking are not the young fruits used for juice, but ones that have been left to mature a bit longer after harvest. The endosperm becomes thicker, the moisture content decreases, and it is in the perfect condition for grating.
When you crack it open with a special iron blade and peel off the outer shell, a hairy nut appears. In stores, they are sold in this hairy state.

The white inner part (endosperm) is grated using a special coconut grater. This freshly grated coconut (coconut fine) is mixed with water and squeezed to make coconut milk.
This is the key to the flavor of Sri Lankan curry.

Put the grated coconut in a bowl, add water, knead it, and then squeeze it. This is the “first press” coconut. It is truly the taste of freshly squeezed coconut. Adding water again and squeezing it a second time produces the “second press.”
In Sri Lankan curry making, these first and second presses are properly used at different stages of the cooking process.Generally, the thinner second press is used when simmering ingredients, and the first press is used at the end to tighten and finalize the flavor.

It has roles beyond curry, too

Coconuts are not just for curry.
Coconut sambol, which comes with every rice and curry dish, is a staple side dish that colors Sri Lankan curry. In Sri Lanka, it is called “pol sambol.” In Japan, it might be considered something like furikake.

The orange dish visible in the back right is “pol sambol.”
Because it is not immediately obvious what ingredients are used, it is also a dish that I am always asked about whenever I host a Sri Lankan curry party: “What on earth is this?”

Mix grated coconut with chili, salt, the acidity of lime or lemon, onion, and if you like, Maldives fish for umami or green chili, and there you have it, it's done.
In Sri Lanka, ingredients and spices are combined using a stone cooking tool called a “miris gala,” shown in the photo below.

With just some extra-spicy “pol sambol,” you can eat any amount of rice. It’s a tricky one. No, it is a great supporting actor for curry.

In Japan, fresh coconuts are hard to come by. Therefore, I use coconut fine to make pol sambol, and dissolve powder to make the coconut milk for curries.
In both cases, please try to use products from Sri Lanka if possible.
I once used a product from the Philippines to compare the flavors, but it just wasn't the same. There was a clear difference in flavor, and it wasn't suitable for making Sri Lankan curry or sambol.

Beyond food, coconuts are also transformed into oil, alcohol, vinegar, and more. Finally, the husks are used as fuel or to make brooms. It is a plant deeply rooted in Sri Lankan life, for which the expression “nothing goes to waste” is perfectly fitting.
Please do try to taste the flavor of the coconut, which truly deserves the title of king, in your Sri Lankan curry.