Lunu Miris (Chilli and Onion Sambal)
Lunu Miris is Sri Lanka’s fiery little chili and onion sambal, made by pounding shallots with chili flakes, lime and salt. All you need is four ingredients, ten minutes, and a mortar and pestle. And it turns a plain plate of kiribath into something memorable.
If you’ve ever had hoppers or milk rice in Sri Lanka, you’ve almost certainly had a spoonful of this on the side. It’s spicy, tangy, a little sharp from the raw shallots, and so refreshing next to rich, coconut dishes.
What Is Lunu Miris?
“Lunu” means onion and “miris” means chili in Sinhala, so the name tells you exactly what you’re getting. It’s a raw, pounded sambal (or sambol, you’ll see both spellings) used as a condiment. You only need a little with each bite.
It’s a breakfast condiment in Sri Lanka. I still remember grabbing a pol roti(coconut roti) sandwich with lunu miris from a breakfast stall near my workplace most mornings. Lunu Miris pairs wonderfully with Kiribath, coconut roti, pittu (rice and coconut dish), idiyappam (string hoppers), and hoppers.
What I love most is how forgiving it is. Pounding by hand gives you that rustic, slightly chunky texture you get at home in Sri Lanka, but if you don’t own a mortar and pestle, a few quick pulses in a food processor will get you very close.
If get mixed up on lunu miris and katta sambal, know that the difference is Maldive fish. Lunu Miris is just shallots, chili, lime and salt where as Katta Sambal adds Maldive fish (dried cured tuna), which gives it a deeper, umami flavour.
Ingredients
*Scroll down for the recipe card with a full ingredient list and measurements.
- Shallots – Shallots are sweeter and milder than regular onions and break down beautifully when pounded. If you can’t find them, white onions work as a substitute, though the flavour will be a bit sharper.
- Red chilli flakes – These give lunu miris its colour and heat. Use the regular crushed red pepper flakes from the grocery store or Sri Lankan chili flakes if you have them.
- Lime – Lime is the traditional souring agent in Sri Lankan cooking.
- Chilli powder – Adds extra heat and a deeper red colour. Skip it if you prefer it milder.
How to Make Lunu Miris
*Scroll down for the printable recipe card for a full list of ingredients and instructions.
Making this chili and onion sambal is super easy! All you need to do is prep the shallots and pound them using a mortar and pestle, or a food processor.
Prep the shallots: Peel and slice the shallots. It’s easier to pound if sliced.
Make the chili and onion sambal: Add the sliced shallots to a mortar and pound them until they start to break down. Mix in the chili flakes and continue pounding until the mixture turns into a rough, mushy paste. If you’re using chili powder, add it at this stage and mix well.
Finally, add the salt and lime juice, then pound everything together until it’s well combined. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Your lunu miris is ready to serve!
Tips
- If you’re short on time, you can use a food processor, but a mortar and pestle doesn’t take much time either. If using a food processor, use short pulses to achieve the consistency you want.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator.
More Sri Lankan Sambols and Sides
- Katta Sambal (Maldive Fish and Onion Sambal)
- Sri Lankan Coconut Sambol
- Kiribath (Sri Lankan Milk Rice)
- Sri Lankan Kale Mallum
- Sri Lankan Red Lentil Dal
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Recipe
Lunu Miris – Chili and Onion Sambal
Equipment
- mortar and pestle
Ingredients
- 1 cup shallots
- 1 tbsp chili flakes
- ¾ tsp salt
- 2 tsp lime juice
- ½ tsp chili powder
Instructions
- Peel and slice the shallots. It's easier to pound if sliced.
- Add the sliced shallots to a mortar and pound them until they start to break down. Mix in the chili flakes and continue pounding until the mixture turns into a rough, mushy paste. If you’re using chili powder, add it at this stage and mix well.
- Finally, add the salt and lime juice, then pound everything together until it’s well combined. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed, and your sambal is ready to serve!
Notes
- No shallots? White onions work as a substitute, but the flavour will be sharper.
- Food processor method: Pulse the shallots and chili in short bursts until coarse, then stir in the salt and lime. Don’t over blend.
- Heat level: Adjust the chili flakes to taste and skip the chili powder for a milder version.
- Best eaten fresh, on the day it’s made.
- Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Nutrition
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Thank you.I was looking for this for a very long time.